One Chapter Ends...

      Monday, October 18th, 2010, I put in my 1250 hours at the Altoona Beauty School, meaning it was time for me to GRADUATE!! As i drove to school Monday morning, i instantly thought back, 9 months earlier when i was driving to Altoona Beauty School to start the new chapter in my life. I remember leaving my new apartment, scared as ever, with a big hole in my stomach with butterflies filling it up! Behind me driving was my older sister Julieann, she stayed over at my new apartment with me the night before and to get me off on my way for my first day. Well of course, nothing in life goes as planned and on my first day of school we had a 2 hour delay! so i couldn't sleep all night because of nerves and now i have to wait 2 more hours till i get to even go to school.
      When it was finally time to go, i hugged my sister bye and got into my car i instantly started to cry. I wasn't sad in any way, i was more so scared, scared about if i was going to make friends, if people would like me, and if this really was the 'perfect' choice for me. I was Scared and nervous about this new journey i was about to embark on and make my career with. Half way to the school, my phone started ringing, and it was Julieann calling me. With a shaky tearful voice i said hello, and the voice on the other end sounded just as shaky and tearful. I asked Julieann why she was cryng? she just said that she was so proud of me for doing what i wanted to do, and couldn't believe how brave i was for stepping out of the "Jenna Serafin Norm" and starting this new school, by myself, all i could think about was how i wanted to turn around and go back home.....
     Now about 9.5 months later i couldn't be happier with my decision to go to Cosmetology school. There i learned the basics to what i have to do to start my career, Not only did my time there reassure me that this is what i want to do, but i also met some of the best people there. That's what made October 18th so hard for me, more of a bittersweet graduation. I'm glad that now i can go take my tests and get into a salon and do what i love to do and be in a environment that actually makes me happy, but  those girls and teachers that became my best friends, that I was around 8-4 every single day for 9 months, i wont get to see hardly that is the toughest part.
     The greatest feeling was that my family( my biggest cheerleaders) were all front row to watch me graduate from something that they know i love and that i am truly happy doing. Knowing that not only i know i love doing hair, but that other people can see that i am happy, makes it even better. Now that this one chapter in my life has ended i know that i've got a fantastic base for the future in the cosmetology field, and that the memories there made it all worth while..

"Love What You Do".

Beauty Classic- Ohio Hair Show 2010!!

Well, this past weekend i went to my first Hair Show and it was AMAZING!!!! It was right in Columbus, Ohio and it was HUGE! 5am Sunday morning me and 21 others, all got on a bus and traveled right to the hairshow! As soon as you walked down the steps on the left there were 2 different entrances about 15 yards away from one another, if you entered into those they branched off to about 4-5 different classrooms. In the classrooms you attended all differen't kinds of classes, those being, high lighting, updos, dry cutting, and tons more. Now, on the left of the steps you walked into another entrance, there it just opened you to a HUGE room, where it was just rows and rows of differen't products, companies and tons and tons of PEOPLE!!! this is what i first saw when i walked in.....

overwhelming right? Totally way better than what i expected! And that is just one out of the 6 rows of poducts, people, and vendors! As you walked around, different companies were handing out samples of their products.

Not only were they handing their products out but different companies like Paul Mitchell, Keratin Complex and Matrix, they all had their big booths with supplies and products you could buy, but they also had stages where they did demonstrations and showed off new cuts, new colors or simply just their style. Of course with "Spread the Love" in mind, i made sure we made a stop at the Matrix Stage.

At some of the stages the stylists worked on their own models, or some of them did pull people out of the audience to cut, color, or updo their hair! Of course we all were eager to get up on stage and get some new hair cuts , oh and getting close to hottie stylist-Martino isnt too bad either(: The Company "Keratin Complex" that Martino works for, has this new smoothing line. It's a treatment that takes about 2 hours for the entire thing. It smoothes your hair if it's damanged and makes it feel like brand new. Lucky Jamie got to try it out! (: Martino's salon is in Jersey, and thats about the only place i've heard that does the Keratin Complex Treatment. Buttt at the Altoona Beauty School, Paul Mitchell Came out with a New Awapuii treatment,that is Very Similar and it puts protiens back in your hair! It's Fabulouss, it's a MUST TRY!!!!

At the hair show, not only did they show you what you usually do in Salons, like color, cuts, updos, they show you the impossible, like fantasy hair and that in this field there is NO limits to what you can do-

After 2 days full of meeting awesome people, learning differen't styles, and techniques i was SO sad to come home. While there, i've learned there is no limit as to what you can do in the cosmetology field. If you have the passion for it then you can do the impossible! I know this wont be my last Hair Showwww, New York 2011?!! CANT WAITTTTTTT (:

Spread the Loveeee!!!

So, the question people are starting to ask me is, why am i even starting this blog? Well, here's the deal, The Matrix Hair Company is having a contest called, " Spread the Love", They are picking 6 cosmetology students from across the US to have the journey of a lifetime. If Chosen you will travel the United States for 6 months attending hair shows and visiting top styists in their salons, also the chosen 6 will be mentored by top Matrix Designers. Basically amazing rightt! Oh did i mention they will also give the winners, a new laptop, digital camera and smart phone!! But to get chosen, you must Blog, and be involved with social networks like facebook and twitter!! This all comes into play because over these 6 months that you are traveling you will have to blog, tweet and facebook about the experiences youre having! So basically me being on facebook 23 hours out of the day will be totally acceptable for this contest! (:

So all in all, PLEASE follow my blog, facebook and twitter and wish me luck!!

ps here's the "Spread the Love" websitee checkkk it outt! http://matrix.com/love/

It Was One of Those Days...

 “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~Plato "

Growing up, I have heard that quote over and over again. It isn't until I actually lived it, that I understood the meaning of it.

    For me, this quote came to life one day at the Altoona Beauty School, my Cosmetology school. All morning I had heard the clients complain about their problems, serious and not so serious, but I just sat there listening because I know that if I’m going to be in this profession I need to listen to my clients. For some reason though, this day was worse then most, have you ever had one of those days where you just wanna crawl back to bed…well it was one of those days, I didn't feel well, my hair was out of place, my clothes weren't right, I just wanted to go home!  I went up to the front desk to see what my last client was getting done that day and I was relived to see it was only a wig fitting, so I thought to myself ‘Thank the Lord!’ I was so glad because it would be easy and quick and then my day would be over finally.

   As the shop door open, three women walked through the door; I saw an elderly woman and two other women that were with her. The older woman was wearing a bright pink Steelers ball cap, with pure white hair poking out from underneath, instantly I wanted to cry, because I knew that if she was coming in for a wig fitting she was more than likely sick. As soon as I got the go ahead, with tears in my eyes I grabbed my cape and went to welcome her, as I approached her and called her name, she had the biggest smile on her face.  I walked back with her to my station and I asked how she was doing, and she replied, "well, I'm here so that's pretty good" followed by a slight laugh. I was already slightly nervous because when it comes to a wig fitting, I never know how to handle it. Obviously when the clients come from the American Cancer society they usually are going through a rough time in their life, and I am a true 'softy' as people call me, because I get emotional when I see someone fighting such a hard battle, but in a situation like this, they are my client and I need to make them feel as comfortable as I can, so fighting back mixed emotion tears I asked Iva what kind of wig she was looking for.

    Carol, the lead instructor is 100x more experienced in situations like this, so with her help we figured out what Iva wanted. I was still upsett from the morning I had, as soon as Carol grabbed my brush and brushed through Ivas' hair, I instantly melted. She was loosing her hair rapidly, just getting it brushed. Tears overwhelmed my eyes but I knew I couldn't cry we were only just starting. We got a wig that looked most like her natural hair color, and Carol was cutting it to look like the style she usually wears.

   Once we got a style that suited Iva, and her 2 daughters she brought along with her Carol asked what she was planning on doing with the hair that as remaining, Iva quickly stated, " Shave it off!” and Carol just simply replied, "sounds good!” Carol kept asking Iva about her treatments she was going through. I stood there watching Iva, talking to Carol, who herself went through these treatments at one point in her life, she said that her hair grew back super curly, Ivas' face lit up with hope that hers would do the same. It was although Carol gave her some kind of encouragement, that no one else could give her without having gone through it themselves.

    After the service was over, Carol talked with Iva, about how she could wear a scarf around her head, if she's just at home and doesn't want to wear her wig all the time. As Carol put it on her, her smile appeared back on her face. This scarf gave her another option other than to wear the wig. As Iva hoped out of the chair with wig in hand, I noticed more pep in her step, and more confidence then when she came in the door. As she walked out the door I went immediately to clean up her hair and go in the back. As soon as I hit the back room, tears fell down my face. How could someone going through such a hard time in their life, carry themselves with such confidence and poise? Heck I cried earlier cause my hair didn’t fall the right way, and this woman lost all her hair just from us brushing it.

     Its moments like that, you have to realize how lucky you are, and that you should “ be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” ( Plato) This day made me realize how much I’m going to love being in the cosmetology field, and being able to help people. I was inspired how Carol interacted with this client that truly needed someone to help her with one of the hardest times in her life, and Carol was that “friend” for her.  I hope one day, I can be that friend to someone.