As summer is ending and school is about to begin again I have been reflecting on my last three months of working in the “real world”. Although it has been just a brief insight into what my future holds the reality of growing up has started to settle in.

Even though I will only be going into my sophomore year of college I know how fast these next three years will fly by. As thankful as I am that I have a few more years before I am completely on my own I wonder if the job market will be any better when I graduate, or if I will  end up continuing on to graduate school giving me a few extra years before having to be thrown out into the “real world” for good. As a fashion merchandising student I aspire to be living in a fashion centered city such as New York City or LA, and hope to be a buyer for a big name company. I know this is a big dream, but I also know I am capable of achieving it, and I hope to be able to do so as soon as I can get my foot in the door.

Working at Scottsdale Fine Jewelers this summer has given me some experience in the retail side of the industry. I never thought that I would gain so much useful knowledge working here this summer, and I am so thankful that I took advantage of the opportunity. From learning to recognize a designer’s piece just by looking at the style of it, to understanding the vocabulary of the industry, this job has given me a leg up on reaching my career goals. The most important thing I learned in my three months here however is the importance of customer service. This value is something I will always remember as I continue on my career path.

So as I say goodbye to my summer break I am returning to school a little closer to life in the “real world”.