As a third year fashion and costume design student at the University of Cincinnati my intention is to become a successful costume designer. As a quiet child I wasn’t able to express myself. I instead found my voice through fashion. Ever since I was young it’s been important to me to have control over my ‘look.’ I felt the need to dress the way I wanted because I was afraid to use my voice. There was so much I wanted to tell the world, but I couldn’t express myself. With the right dress though, I felt heard. Telling my story is important to me, but as I’ve grown into a young woman it’s been other people’s stories that have guided me through life. I love movies, plays, and books and have always been dazzled by the world of fiction. It seems like part of my brain is permanently stuck in some distant fantasy, while the other half is left to overthink real-world minutia. Fiction has been a second home, and as a child, the local movie theater felt almost as comfortable as my own living room. Even now, all grown up, I still love it. The language of storytelling is something I instinctually understand in the same way that clothes were my means to converse with the world beyond me. Costume design creates part of the visual landscape that helps us understand the characters we’re watching. When I reflect on my life it’s no mystery why I’ve decided to become a costume designer. It was not difficult for me to make decisions about my future when I was finishing high school. I knew exactly what the next step was. Attending university to become a costume designer was the clear choice. My passion for costume design requires a comprehensive education in fashion and theater/film. I have had to forge a new educational path at my university to accomplish this because It is important that I integrate both fashion and costume design into my education so that I can graduate with the wealth of knowledge needed to take the next steps in my career. Upon completing my undergraduate degree I plan to attend a graduate school for costume design. As I reach the halfway point of my undergraduate career I can’t help but feel excited about what’s to come. After completing my education I will work as a costume designer. There is a long path ahead of me before I can reach my ultimate goal, but I plan to enjoy all the steps along the way. The idea that I could one day work side by side with writers to bring amazing stories to life is thrilling. If I were to tell you my deepest desire, I’d say that I can’t wait to see my work featured on the big screen. I am practically bursting with eagerness to get going because I want to be able to work on projects that change people's lives and show them a different perspective. I think storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to connect to one another. It’s film and fashion that have taught me how to tell my story. I hope that one day I can help others to tell theirs.