TRAILBLAZER: THE LAST MILLENNIAL

YLLANE DIAMSE FUERTEZ

In our today’s era the word trending is very popular, you may saw it mostly on social media especially that our country is adapting to the high technology our trendsetters invented. Does our millennials generation was able to become a trailblazer nowadays? Were in the Generation Z seems to have conquered how skilled they are in using the technologies in this world. Greetings to the one who read this article, I am Yllane D. Fuertez, born in 1996 the last generation of millennials and I am a trailblazer in my own path especially in pursuing my greatest passion: Creating unique artworks to inspire others and augment their mundane life. It is very vivid in my memory how a simple quote from a notebook that I bought in a store become a motivation for me in pursuing my passion and making a difference in this world. In the year 2012, I am a freshmen college student of course in preparation for my studies I need to buy school supplies. I was walking in the isle of the store and looking for a notebook and then suddenly there is this green notebook with a quote stated by Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American essayist, philosopher and poet, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”. At first, I don’t understand yet the meaning of this quotation he stated until everyday in school when we need to write our lectures, before opening the notebook I always saw this quote and starting to absorb the great meaning of this quote he stated. As a millennial in this generation, I am in the middle of a traditional era of the past and the transitioning new era of the present into the future. I have witnessed how fast the world and traditions have changed. It was like you need to go with the path of others to be fitted on the trends they have now, following the old traditions in respect for our ancestors. Yes, it may be tiring if you try to follow and fit in on the path of others and always trying to be everyone’s cup of tea. Realizing the true meaning of Ralph Waldo Emerson gives me the courage and confidence to create my own path, my own definition of success. Not following the comments and criticisms of other people and believing in your own unique way of living will give you a great peace of mind. I’ve created my own Arts and Crafts, of course there are lots of people criticized and ridiculed my creations, there were so many who told me I will not make it: I will not make my dream came true, I will not make my creations be sold by others, I will not be recognized by others, I will not be able to create my own path. Those words of other people, I’ve collected them all like a stone and I will use them to build my own Tower of Victory. The perfect time has come, all those negative words they poured and throw towards me has became a proof that they are wrong for judging the book by it’s cover. I successfully established my own Arts and Crafts and donated school supplies annually to the Elementary Schools in our hometown every Anniversary of my Arts and Crafts Store. I successfully inspire a lot of people because of my art creations, in my lessons in Contemporary Arts, Research and Beauty and Nail Care I was able to share and inspire my success story to the learners. I was recognized by the National Award Giving Body for the art creations I’ve made and received three (3) prestigious awards. So, you can also go to the unknown path and leave a trail. Be a trailblazer in the new era of our society.

-oOoThe author is Teacher II at Justino Sevilla High School