LOVING LIFE IN THE BIG APPLE
QUT student Julia May has big hopes to eventually run a fashion company with an environmental focus ... striving towards that goal has led her to study at New York’s acclaimed Fordham University GOLD Coast student Julia May is living the dream.
She’s sipping lattes in LA, eating ice cream in the Big Apple’s Central Park and hanging out with the fashion world’s elite at New York Fashion Week.
But it’s all in the name of education: Ms May is on a study abroad exchange at Fordham University in New York City.
The Gold Coaster, who studies at QUT, said the decision to go on exchange was a no-brainer.
“I am studying a Bachelor of Business (International Business) and a Bachelor of Creative Industries (Fashion Communication) so at Fordham I am studying global marketing and global finance subjects,” she said.
“Uni is really different here. They are far more strict on things like attendance – you can only miss two classes unexcused without being
marked down – and they’re very strict about the use of phones and laptops in class.
“But there’s also loads of college spirit here, everyone walks around campus in Fordham merchandise, they have a massive store with everything from branded baby clothing to branded dog bones.
“Everything is pretty similar to the movies, like a typical American college.”
Notable alumni of Fordham University include actor Denzel Washington, singer Lana Del Rey and US President Donald Trump.
“To get a J-1 visa to study in the US, you have to apply online and go to the US consulate in Sydney to get your fingerprints taken and pay a fee,” she said.
“It’s not hard, just very time consuming and expensive.
“I live in the Bronx and it’s really cool here, there is always so much going on and the area around Fordham seems just like a college town.
“Walking from the subway station on the first day, I was a
little worried because it’s so different to the Gold Coast, but I believe the travelling I have done in the past has really taught me to have an open mind.”
Ms May said she also visited the West Coast before settling in New York, where she attended New York Fashion Week.
“So far I have been to San Francisco, Yosemite, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Lake Havasu,” she said.
“At Fashion Week I went to a couple of shows and presentations ... even just walking around Skylight where lots of shows are held was such a cool experience.’’
Ms May said she wanted to continue working in fashion after graduating.
“My ultimate career goal would be to own my own fashion company that has an environmental focus,” she said.
“I would love to make environmentally friendly fashion more accessible and popular.”