How I Found Advertising

As a first-generation American, I grew up under a parental cloud of high hopes and expectations. As the eldest of three, I had the added pressure of setting the example. My parents hoped for a lawyer, engineer, or doctor (Ph.D. counts), but instead, I spent my time between proposing alternate Harry Potter storylines and putting on musical performances on the dining table. As I grew, so did this energy. I enrolled in all the extracurriculars I could because I just wanted to do it all. However, a couple things stayed constant among these changing interests: my love of reading and writing and creating imaginary worlds. There were countless nights where I stayed up later than a fifth grader should because I was bouncing around my room pretending to slay a dragon or sitting up in bed having a full-on conversation with an imagined character. This led me to become an English literature major, which my parents accepted only after I told them I was planning to follow up my English degree with law school. I wasn’t, and I didn’t.  

In between analyzing Walt Whitman and arguing that the Romantics weren’t really romantic, I found advertising. Through a random connection, I was offered a summer internship at Leo Burnett’s Beirut, Lebanon office. From the moment I stepped into that workspace, I was hooked. I could feel the creative energy bouncing off the dynamically decorated walls and the individuals that walked by. It was drastically different from the cubicle-lined office spaces I was used to. During my time there, I also learned about a type of writing I’d never known—copywriting—and how challenging, rewarding, and exciting it can be. I saw a world where creativity was celebrated, and I wanted to be a part of it. So, now at 26 years old, I am back in school and studying copywriting this time around with a focus I’ve never had before. Let’s see where it goes.