Nails 101: A Student Blog

Week One: No Time Wasted

by Brittany Machelle | February 11, 2015 | Bookmark +

The first week of school went by fast. I actually feel like I’ve been here longer than a week. Everyone is so welcoming, and all of the departments — nails, esthetics, cosmetology, financial aid — mix and mingle, which is great! My class has seven people total, with three graduating within the next week. They have been very helpful.

Orientation was normal. I met my new classmates (there are only three of us) and networked with other beauty lovers. It was all about paperwork, stories, introductions, and rules/regulations. The whole day was pretty relaxed until that tragic moment when my new instructor crushed my spirits: I asked her if we would get our kits on the first day of class, and her response was, “Oh no, that will be a long time from now.” Heart crushed. Spirit broken! (LOL, I’m very dramatic sometimes!) All in all, I was still excited!

Day one was pretty standard; we were given our books, a success calendar, and some worksheets. For the rest of the morning, I chatted with my classmates and read Chapter One in our textbook to prepare for class later that day. After noon, we went to a class held only on Tuesdays called “Salon Success.” The class is a bit of a review because I am working in the industry already, but I do wish someone had taught it to me a year ago. The class covers things like learning to identify/adapt to different personalities and build a positive working environment. It teaches you how to be better personally in order to succeed professionally. EVERY beauty school should have this course! It is taught by the esthetics instructor who is very energetic and has had major success in the business. He brings great energy to the class and makes it worth the time and tuition.

The rest of the week went by pretty fast. By Saturday we had learned gel-polish application, manicures, pedicures, and we had started the extremely exciting acrylics. When the instructor pulled out those Tammy Taylor practice sheets, my heart skipped a beat (my love for Tammy Taylor’s talent and flawless results is indescribable). Three days in, one of my classmates has already taken some clients. I personally didn’t want to touch anyone until I knew what an eponychium is and what the cuticle remover actually has in it to make it work. So the nerd in me spent the weekend working and reading ahead in my textbook; anatomy and chemistry are my favorite chapters…yes, I have favorites!

We are a Pivot Point school, therefore our textbooks are Salon Fundamentals and we use a lot of OPI products. Learning how to make the best of my time is important right now, because I am in school from 9am-4pm five days a week for five months, which is a lot. My older classmates gave great advice, which is to come in early to rack up the hours, and practice everything from nail art to acrylics every day, whether we are told to or not, and never turn down a client. Every client is practice!

Lesson of the week: This is a hands-on industry; we will only get better by physically practicing. I’m ready to be the best!

Until next week,

— Brittany

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