Girrrrrl, it’s crazy what a vision will have you do to get to where you want to be. Let me tell you the story of how I got to this location for this shoot!

I was in the car with my friends on our way back to school and we passed by this monument-looking site in Princeton. I was so drawn to the structure, it’s etherealness and could envision myself doing a style post there for graduation. And so, I did. I had tunnel vision when it came to this location. I knew without a doubt that my shoot was happening there.

I woke up extremely early, got dressed and with my brother and Medge in tow, we headed out to the location so I could take photos there before my ceremony. I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal since the site was on the way to my school but man, was I wrong.

There was traffic on traffic on traffic. We were driving for what seemed like hours. And speaking of time, I had only three hours of sleep and was trying to fight it so that 1. I didn’t have “sleep face” in my pictures and 2. In case my brother accidentally passed the place.

It was slightly drizzling too. I was fighting nerves because I didn’t want it to pour before we got there. It was such a gray, cloudy, dreary looking day. Ugh, you know humidity was in the air. And you know what that means. Fallen, frizzy curls.

We arrived at 8:50. Mind you, I had to be at school by 8 and my ceremony began at 9:30. As my brother parked, we all looked to the right of us and our jaws dropped. Not only did it take forever to get to the location, the monument was a huge field away! I remember thinking, “Wait, it didn’t seem that far before.” But it was.

Medge and I agreed the shoot would have to be no more than 8 minutes in order to get to school before the ceremony began. We looked across the vast field at the seemingly small monument and made a run for it. Well, as much as you can run in 5 inch heels and little energy.

I almost broke my ankles! I’m slightly exaggerating but I really could’ve! My heels were seeping into the uneven dewy ground and my ankles were looking like the infamous runway falls you see all over YouTube and Facebook. I had to laugh — I couldn’t believe what I was going through for some pictures!

We finally got to the place and as I look down to pass Medge the camera, we see that we had yet another issue. My white shoes were completely covered in grass. We had nothing to wipe it off with either. My dear sister used her bare hands to do so and quickly went to shooting.

We finished up and arrived to school around 9:10 am. The advisors rushed me to put my cap and gown and I was set. My friends think it’s hilarious that I was late because I was doing a style post but I would’ve been pretty upset had it rained at grad and I didn’t have not one photo! It did drizzle here and there during the ceremony but all the graduates were just happy to be outside.

I graduated Summa Cum Laude, the greatest distinction, with 6 honors and a 3.96 GPA! It doesn’t feel quite real that I graduated, but the God who’s been coming through for me sure is!

In keeping your vision in accomplishing your goal, do understand that you’ll be delayed, you’ll trip and maybe even fall. You’ll have to get dirty in the work you believe in and dust off the things that seek to hinder the bigger picture.

 

It may not be all sunshine when you’re on your way, but when you get there and you reflect on how you did, you can take joy and pride in the struggle.