“Why would you want to be a nail technician?” Someone asked me this question with a puzzled look on his face. “Why would you, being a chemist, even want to go do something like that?” He asked me that question as if to say that I was lowering my standards to become a nail technician. I explained to him my reasons for wanting to do this and the goals that I have.
by Orma Swearinger
November 11, 2016
3 min to read
Week 12
“Why would you want to be a nail technician?” Someone asked me this question with a puzzled look on his face. “Why would you, being a chemist, even want to go do something like that?” He asked me that question as if to say that I was lowering my standards to become a nail technician. I explained to him my reasons for wanting to do this and the goals that I have. He told me about all of the stories he’s heard about nail salons. I assured him that none of those stories would be the case with mine. My plans are huge and my expectations are high. I did not start this nail technology program to be just your average nail tech. There’s never been anything average about me and now isn’t the time to start being average. We owe it to ourselves to be the best version of ourselves that we can possibly be — whether in our personal lives or our professional lives — we should always strive to be the best. Simply put, I am pursuing excellence in this field of nail technology. I am sticking close to my instructor to learn all that I can about nails, the industry, and anything else that I can possibly learn. Each time I perform a service, I want my instructor to critique my work so that I can know how she thinks I did and how I can do it better the next time. I had the opportunity to do my first French manicure with soak-off gel polish. I can already see that this polish is so much more forgiving than regular polish. There were things that I learned from my instructor’s critique that will help me do my next one much better. I’m ready to do more French manicures now that I’ve gotten my first one done.
Ad Loading...
Week 13
My instructor assigned us our second project. This time it was a “shoebox project.” We were given the task of designing our nail salon using the inside of the shoebox. I had my hands so full all week with other things. On the day before the project was due, I was racing around different stores looking for things to use for my project. I couldn’t find much of anything that I wanted. I know what I wanted my finished look to be, but I was not able to find everything. So I had to get creative. I did not want my project to look like everyone else’s in my class. It could have been better had I given myself a few days to find what I needed, but I was pleased with the outcome. When I arrived at school, everyone had their shoeboxes sitting on their tables. My instructor asked me where mine was. I told her it was in the witness protection program. She laughed and so did I, but I told her I had to keep it in hiding until she had seen everyone else’s work. I reminded her of how I am not the craftiest person when it comes to things like this, but that I had done my best with what I had. I was hoping that she would see the project and know exactly what my intent was for each item. She loved it! All of my classmates loved it, too. My grade was 100%! Our next project is due in just a couple of days. That one is going to stretch me way out of my comfort zone, but I’m up for the challenge. Stay tuned!
As of this writing this instalment of my nail student blog may be the last one for a while. Similar to many schools and other institutions around the world, due to the threat of the coronavirus pandemic classes at San Diego City College have been suspended until further notice.
During week five, we received another lecture on skin structure, growth, and nutrition and tests on pedicures and nail tips and wraps. A good portion of the week was focused on giving manicures.
NAILS has a new student blogger! San Diego-based Gregory Fletcher is looking forward to getting into the nail industry after retiring from his first career in the financial services industry
Let’s continue to shine, continue to spread light, joy and love to all around us! We’ll make a difference one smile, one hug, one nail service at a time!
It’s been such a long journey, from being excited and feeling unstoppable to being tired and exhausted and feeling like I couldn’t do it anymore. Now, every day that passes and I get closer to my graduation date I get more and more energy.