» Model City
Sandra Omo is packing her bag and reaching for the stars
If there is one thing being a model has taught me, it’s how to expect the worst, and then act like it‘s normal. As funny as this may sound, it is the plain truth, even though is not exactly spelt out like this. When you attend castings and auditions, you are expected, or shall I say taught, to hope for the best – the possibility that you might be the one chosen for the job; while at the same time expecting the worst – the possibility that you might not be picked.
In addition, you are expected to take it as it is, and hope for another, thereby starting the process all over again. Hope, expect the worst, and move on. I am dying to know, when does the ‘expecting the worst’ part of it end, if it ever does? Isn’t there a stage that a model can reach and know that it is all ‘hope’ and ‘move on’ without expecting the worst? What of supermodels, do they go through this as well? Well, I am tempted to think “no“, but due to the nature of the modelling industry,
I know the answer is “yes“. The only difference is that supermodels do not have to attend castings and queue up to hear the decision. But the circle remains the same, and the impact greater.
“So for this model, no doubt she will become a model, as she dreamed, it is the level of success that she will achieve that is the question”
Since there seems to be no rest from this circle for the ordinary model, what should be done? Should models just keep on hoping and expecting the contrary? If this is the case then, why don’t we hope big?
Years ago, I read the story of a model who dropped out of school, sold the house she inherited from her mother in this little town and moved to a huge city to become a model. Everyone thought she was stupid because there was no guarantee. True, but what step in life has an automatic success guarantee?
If she sold her house to study, no one would ask why. In fact, they will praise her for it. But then I am dying to know, what is the guarantee that she will rise up to be a success at what she studied? It is the same here. The thing is, when it comes to us human beings, we, first of all, desire to achieve our dreams before we begin to pursue huge success. I desired to be a model before I began to dream about ‘Super-model-hood’ – first things first. So for this model above, no doubt she will become a model, as she dreamed, it is the level of success that she will achieve that is the question. Then at least, she pursued her dreams. Moreover, if models are expected to hope, expect the worst, and then move on, would it not be stupid to hope for peanuts? I mean, I would rather set my hopes high, and even if the worst happens, at least it was all worth it!
image: Pete Baldrey
Today, I fall in this category. If I must run in this circle, it had better be for the best this industry has to offer. My bags are packed and I have this one way ticket to New York. And as I make another major move to pursue this dream, I am hoping for the best. Am I expecting the worst? Not at all, there can be no worse in this step. However, there is one thing I know I shall definitely be doing, and that is moving on.
