Eyeshadow, curling irons and mascara. Senior Emily Mabe has decided to take a creative route for her future. She’s using her talent of applying makeup and styling hair by turning it into a career.

Mabe will be attending Empire Beauty School to study cosmetology. There she will acquire the proper skills on how to cut and style hair, better her ability to apply makeup and become a licensed cosmetologist.

Mabe’s decision did not come naturally to her. Instead she took time to think about if she was certain that beauty school was the right path for her. It was not until a couple of months ago that Mabe decided to follow her dreams and become a cosmetologist.

Some of the obstacles making her indecisive on her choice of major had to do with what society was telling her to decide.

“It was really hard for me to step away from what society wanted me to do like go to college right away,” Mabe said. “I didn’t want to disappoint anyone by choosing a different path. I finally decided that I wanted to do what will make me happy and that was going to beauty school.”

After graduating beauty school and receiving her cosmetologist license, Mabe would like to attend business school. With her business degree, she would like to own her own salon.

“I would want (my salon to be) small and simple,” Mabe said. “I would want to be able to do hair, skin and nails there.”