Somewhere between getting ready for school dances and perfecting everyday looks, junior Kenzie Gallagher found her calling. Since her sophomore year of high school, Kenzie—like many other teenage girls—has had a strong fascination with makeup, nails, and perfecting her outfits; however, through careful deliberation, she soon discovered her desired career path: hair.
Since her youth, she can remember sitting in the hair salon chair, anticipating the moment her new haircut would be revealed. This climactic moment led Kenzie to consider it for her own future and the decisions she would make today.
“[My relatives] have had family friends who own a salon, and the owner was a hairstylist before she opened the salon herself,” Kenzie said. “Throughout my childhood and teenage years, [my hairdresser] inspired me to do something related to hair in the future, which led me to where I am today.”
Doing hair is typically not one of the most popular career paths recommended by school counselors or advisors. Still, by practicing on her sister and braiding her own hair during school, Kenzie soon discovered that playing with hair was not a “hobby,” but instead, a passion.
“About three or four years ago is when [I first] started looking into cosmetology,” Kenzie said. “I found out I was more interested in cosmetology because whenever I would go to the salon to get my hair done, I immediately fell in love with the environment and people.”
As someone who loves spending time with friends and socializing, cosmetology school is the perfect option. Before her big decision to pursue this career, Kenzie’s favorite memories throughout her life were not only sitting in a salon chair and getting a fresh haircut, but, most importantly, socializing.
“My absolute favorite part of pursuing a career in cosmetology is definitely the social aspect of it,” Kenzie said. “Talking to people all the time and having a job where you can talk about something super irrelevant to the work that you’re doing and still get work done efficiently [sounds amazing]. And honestly, I just love yapping.”
Many fall into working countless hours in an office job throughout adulthood, and while this is common, Kenzie pictures herself somewhere different: a career that allows her to balance her passions, work, and family. Her intended career heavily aligns with her plans, placing her in the perfect position to pursue her dreams early.
“I feel like [cosmetology] is the right path for me because one thing I prioritize in life is being a mom,” Kenzie said. “My dream is to have a big family and to have kids, and most importantly, always be there for them. I don’t want to be stuck at work all the time, so I feel like cosmetology does have that very flexible schedule that you can choose your hours.”
Countless hours of homework and rigorous school to receive one small scholarship from a semi-competitive university has never been Kenzie’s lifestyle—she prefers to live freely. The past four years of sitting behind a desktop computer for seven hours at school quickly led Kenzie to discover that her passion is not to follow instructions, but make them.
“About a year ago or so is when I actually started considering college, and going to a four-year university did not sound like ‘my thing,’” Kenzie said. “[For] how my high school years have gone, the whole ‘school thing’ is not, and has never been, my personal style of learning, as I’m a more hands-on learner.”
She has been counting down the days until she begins cutting hair. However, at the moment, Kenzie is restricted to working on other useful skills—braiding, curling, and even practicing new styles—to carry into the workforce.
“It’s super difficult [to prepare ahead of time] for cosmetology because I’m not licensed yet, so I’m not qualified or able to cut people’s hair,” Kenzie said. “But in the meantime, I have bought a ton of tools—different hair rollers, curling irons, and even straighteners—and just testing out the tools you can use is super helpful for preparing for cosmetology school. Also, I have bought mannequin heads so that I can practice with real hair at any time.”
Aside from playing with her sister’s hair and practicing on mannequin heads, Kenzie is preparing to share with others the confidence she once derived from getting her hair cut. Hair shapes the face, and often complements a person, which is why a great haircut is crucial to confidence for many worldwide.
“The part of starting [cosmetology] that I’m most excited for is making people feel good about themselves,” Kenzie said. “I know for a fact that when I go to the hair salon and get in my car after a fresh cut, I immediately look at my hair and always fall in love with it.”
