Bonjour belle gens! My name is Nikki Casertano. I am a sophomore at West Chester University, and I obtain a strong desire to experience every aspect of the world. Roman Payne once said in his novel The Wanderess about Saskia, a mysterious young orphan, that “She was free in her wildness. She was a wanderess, a drop of free water. She belonged to no man and to no city” I believe I belong nowhere in particular, yet everywhere all at once. I feel the greatest sense of feeling of home when I am out exploring the beautiful, vast world we have the honor to inhabit. The freedom to explore unknown areas as well as places I have never been, such as the miles of beautiful oceans in Hawaii or the sandy deserts of Australia, compared to being stationary, satisfies and excites me the most.
When asked to define my style I am at a loss for words. With constantly changing trends and the way my heart thumps for new clothes, shopping sprees and red lipstick, there is no way I could limit my style to a single category. The influence of different cultures plays a lot into what hangs in my closet. I grew up on the Jersey shore where there are barefooted island kids everywhere on beach cruisers and long boards, and a bikini is a wardrobe staple. From the beach to the New York City streets, exploring cute little boutiques in China Town or pretending to be Serena van der Woodsen on the upper east side, and eating a parfait on the steps of the Met, being in New York City is as natural as breathing for me. Although those are my roots, my heart belongs to Paris, where I fell in love in the summer of 2015 on top of the Eifel Tower (how romantic). My Lizzie McGuire dreams came to life when my best friends and I packed up and went on a nine day excursion through France, Germany, and Belgium… also referred to the greatest experience of my life. Where I have been as well as the places I have yet to know is what inspires me the most in not only my personal style but my entire life as well.
Life is full of adventures and dreamers, so never be content with the ordinary, strive for the extraordinary. Becoming satisfied in every area of the world will open up a universe of possibilities, as well as the opportunity to endlessly explore all hopes and dreams…and buy lots and lots of clothes of course.
