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Seek MORE with Julie Smith

Writer's picture: MORE EditorsMORE Editors

This spring, we are thrilled to welcome four interns Seeking MORE with us. We are getting to know them through their writing and learning how they will Seek MORE this semester.


 

This is my second semester with MORE as I serve as Lead Intern, and I am a junior at Indiana University Indianapolis, majoring in Marketing and Commercial Real Estate. Every day, I am overflowed with gratitude for the opportunity to continue seeking MORE with such an inspiring group of girls and mentor, Arianna Cruz. 



Julie Smith with a copy of Issue VII
Julie Smith with a copy of Issue VII

Reading back on my article when I first began at MORE feels like I’m reading an intro for an entirely different person. Due to this, I would like to share my view of change with you all today. Arianna recently shared a quote that says “Nothing changes if nothing changes”. This quote resonates with me in numerous ways. When I began at MORE, I was struggling with my identity heavily. I dreaded the common icebreakers like “What’s your favorite hobby?” or “Share an interesting fact about yourself.” These seemingly harmless questions left me feeling like I didn’t have a unique identity, or like there was nothing remarkable about me. Each one of these instances was a realization for me, yet I did nothing to change it. I spent most of my free time focused on my sports of cross country and track: listening to running-related podcasts, hanging out with my teammates, thinking about an upcoming workout, or tailoring my meals around what I thought a runner should eat. My entire world was centered around running. So, when I got injured and had to endure a hip arthroscopy surgery, it felt like my entire purpose was wiped away. 


Being surrounded by so many inspiring women at MORE, whether it was those we interviewed or people within the organization directly, I was inspired. Inspired to find what ignites my passion, inspired to invest in myself, and inspired to Seek MORE. I believe curating your identity is never a finished job, and in a way that’s the beauty of it. The people you surround yourself with, the ways you decide to spend your time, and how you carry yourself are everchanging, and always at your mercy.


Now, it’d be easy to say I started adjusting my life into one I’m happy with as I recovered from surgery, but life has a funny way of never giving you these self-revolutionary thoughts at the perfect time. In fact, my recovery often left me feeling defeated and depressed as I watched my teammates move forward as I was falling behind- no matter how much time I poured into exercising in ways I could. I wish my revolution had a more philosophical start, but it all began when I heard a TikTok clip of Timothee Chalamet saying, “You can be the master of your fate, you can be the captain of your soul, but you have to realize that life is coming from you and not at you, and that takes time.”. In the weeks following, I started attending yoga classes, reinvesting myself in God’s word, journaling, networking, embracing my creative side, and creating opportunities for myself I otherwise never would have. I finally began changing things at my core, and in turn, my life started changing for the better. Funny how that works!


Since then, I’ve taken on the roles of Lead Intern with MORE Magazine, Director of Digital Content Creation with the Women in Business Club, AVP of Marketing with the Kelley Indianapolis Marketing Organization, and I’ve met so many wonderful new friends through doing so. 


I am not where I want to be yet, but like I said, that’s the beauty of life–the job is never finished! We get to continue to peel back the layers of our identity and be whoever it is we want to be, at whatever time we want to be. This internship has shaped me in ways I’m forever grateful for and forced me to peel back many layers. I’m excited to see how else my time with MORE shapes me.


 

This summer, we are highlighting our four interns who decided to seek MORE this summer with us. We are getting to know them through their writing and learning what Seeking MORE means to them.


 

My name is Julie Smith and I am a rising junior at IUI. I grew up in the uneventful town of Granger, Indiana; which led me to develop numerous hobbies to keep myself busy. Some that stuck are cooking, reading, upcycling clothing, yoga, and trying out different sports. However, most of my time is now spent focused on training as I am a member of the track and cross country teams in college.


My life has always been interconnected with sports, which is what inspired me to pursue a major in Marketing in hopes of a career in sports after graduation, particularly in a marketing analyst role. The sociology of why people react and connect with the things they do is really interesting to me. As someone who loves adventure, I know my career must bring a sense of excitement and curiosity. With that, I believe the role would be anything but monotonous as people and their views are ever-changing. I’m also working towards completing a Spanish minor. This is extremely important to me so I can engage with a diverse range of individuals, both professionally and personally. 


While being a student-athlete is pretty time-consuming, I try to be involved in campus life as well. Being a member of the Women in Business, Digital Marketing, and the Kelley Indianapolis Marketing clubs helps me stay connected with people outside of my sport. In fact, I was introduced to MORE through Women in Business.


Seeking MORE this summer has been an inspiring and knowledgeable experience. Working with, and hearing about the lives of my fellow interns and founder, Arianna Cruz, is so empowering and has led me to make changes in my day-to-day life. I move through each day with more intention and belief in myself that I can harness my opportunities and capitalize on them instead of being diffident. It has helped me reinforce the notion that people won’t remember how many times you fall, but instead, how many times you get back up. I’ve fallen a lot so far in my internship with MORE, but I’ve learned so much from getting back up. 


 

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