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Perseverance, Patience, and Passion…the recipe for success

Veronica Parker,The part-time esthetics program is not for the faint of heart. It requires a lot of time, dedication, patience, perseverance and a true desire to want to be an esthetician.  Long days are a given and time missed with friends and loved ones is a common occurrence.  It’s tough; however, it’s not impossible. If Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics (AIA) graduate, Veronica Parker, can do it, so can you.

Veronica’s journey at AIA started with an interest in becoming a permanent makeup artist.  While conducting her research in pursuit of this career, she was advised that an esthetician program would be a great fit and precursor to achieving her goal of becoming a permanent makeup artist. Although Veronica still has an interest in makeup, the curriculum at AIA inspired her to broaden her skills. Veronica explained, “Now, I want to do everything.” Veronica chose AIA because of its great reviews, but also because it had the schedule that she needed in order to continue to work full-time.

Veronica has a lot on her plate. She’s has a five-year-old daughter, Aniya, and works full-time at a local physical therapy office.  So, everything had to be carefully planned to ensure her success in completing the esthetician program. Before enrolling in school, Veronica knew that she would have to leverage all the help she could from her support system, consisting of her mother, her daughter’s paternal grandmother, as well as other family members. It was literally going to take a village.  Veronica elaborated, “I ran into a few bumps here and there, but it pretty much worked.”  When asked how important her support system was, Veronica stressed, “Extremely important! Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to get anything done.”

However, even with a great support system and a plan, there are sacrifices that have to be made. Veronica’s sacrifice was sleep. The priority was ensuring that she made time for her daughter when she could.  There were still kiddie proms and birthday parties and Veronica didn’t want to miss any of these special moments with her daughter. Despite the lack of sleep and demanding schedule, Veronica said she never thought about quitting. “I gave up too much to go to school. Quitting wasn’t an option. I switched jobs and everything, so I couldn’t quit”.  She continued, “You just have to deal with it. It’s for a short period of time; it’s not forever.”  Luckily for Veronica, though, she was attending esthetics school. For her, that was a built-in stress reliever in itself. She enjoyed school, and being able to receive treatments in class provided a way for her to relax for a few moments a day. Taking time for yourself may require some creativity, but you have to find a way for relaxation and healthy stress relief. One has to recharge in order to be able to power through.

Veronica parkerWhen asked what qualities a person must have to juggle multiple responsibilities and still be successful in school, Veronica listed the following:

  • Persistence
  • Ability to multi-task
  • Willingness to put in the hard work
  • The mindset that quitting isn’t an option, because there is a bigger goal at the end

Further, Veronica advises parents to keep in mind that their children are watching.  It’s important to be a positive example for them. She explained, “You wouldn’t want them to quit things, so you have to lead by example.”  She added, “Never give up. No matter what your circumstance is, no matter what your situation is, always believe in yourself. Do whatever it takes. Don’t give up.”

Veronica didn’t give up. She persevered and stuck fast to her goal.  She graduated with the rest of her classmates in October, making her way across the stage, invisible superwoman cape flying behind her, as she took hold of her well-earned certificate. Her daughter and family were there to cheer her on and bear witness to her strength and hard work.  Now, she still maintains her full-time job, but also has a part-time job in esthetics, and occasionally does bridal makeup as well. She’s currently saving to be able to take permanent makeup artist classes, but also has an interest in medical esthetics and would like to eventually be able to work in a dermatology or cosmetic surgery setting. For Veronica, no goal is unattainable and she has a world of possibilities set before her.

Veronica’s favorite quote is, “I’m in my prime.  There’s no goal too far, no mountain too high.”

Kina DeWitt, Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics Graduate and Guest Blogger 

Kina DeWitt graduated from the Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics in October 2016. A Hampton, Virginia native, she has resided in Atlanta, Georgia for 3 years, after having left her mark in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD along the way. She’s a self-proclaimed foodie, movie buff, fashion lover, and water baby. A country girl with a love for urban life, she enjoys exploring the city for festivals, shows, concerts, and exhibits. Kina also loves to read; hike; spend time on the water; make natural body products; and, of course, write. One of her great passions is skincare and she enjoys “transforming faces” through her work in the skincare field. Kina is an esthetician at iwi fresh Garden Day Spa in Castleberry Hill. You can follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

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