Interview with Influencer Jomely Breton

Interview with Influencer Jomely Breton Instagram Influencer Jomely Breton on College, Inspiration, and Achieving Your Dreams Instagram Influencer Jomely Breton on College, Inspiration, and Achieving Your Dreams Join us for our new podcast, “Student Influencers”! In this podcast series we interview current and former university and college students about their lives during and post-graduation. Listen along as we speak to students from across the world who have created a side-hustle working as social media influencers while attending classes. Tune in to hear how they organize their busy schedules, keep motivated and what drives them to pursue their passions. Learn along with us as we check in with these inspiring up-and-comers. On the first episode of Student Influencers, we had the opportunity to speak with an inspiring young woman who has a penchant for planning, a passion for photography, and a desire to make the world a better place. Believe You Can and You’re Halfway There “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” Theodore Roosevelt These words frame Jomely Breton’s high school yearbook picture, and she continues to live by them two years later. Throughout her life, she has believed in herself, and it shows. She is a young, vibrant woman on a mission to achieve her goals and to inspire everyone around her to do the same. When I spoke with her on the phone, her upbeat energy was contagious, and I left the call with a renewed sense of empowerment. Jomely describes her life as a ‘long story’ despite her age. Though I got the sense that she had experienced some difficulties in her life, her positivity was unwavering. When I asked about her life story, she said, “I was a little girl in a foreign country with big dreams that never gave up. To this day that little girl has accomplished all of her goals, and there are many other goals she hopes to achieve. She believes she can do it.” In her young life, Jomely has moved around many times. She grew up in the Dominican Republic and moved to the United States when she was 11 years old. Following some time in NYC, Jomely completed her high school years in Boston, Massachusetts. Now, she attends college in Florida at the University of Tampa. She cites two of the primary reasons for choosing U of T as the warm weather and their prestigious business program. Achieving Dreams Through Practical Means Jomely is not just an inspiring woman; she is also high achieving and intelligent. So far she has reached her goal of getting straight A’s in all her courses in her junior year as a marketing major. Jomely’s success is partly due to her strict study schedule and the lessons she’s learned along the way as a student. Jomely says that she lives by a “planner, calendar, and alerts.” She even has her friends send an electronic invitation to spend time with her so that she can maximize downtime while maintaining productivity on days where school is the priority. She tells me that she learned to time manage so well because she quickly realized that procrastination would not get her anywhere. Jomely reminds other students, “One thing is: do the homework before it piles up. Dont procrastinate, do your homework because youre going to end up with no sleep, bags under your eyes, and a lot of caffeine in your system if you dont.” When she isn’t spending scheduled time with friends, or studying in advance for upcoming tests, Jomely can be found providing support for students on campus as a Resident’s Assistant. Jomely takes pride in being able to share her experiences and be a supportive person for new students. For someone who once considered themselves an introvert, Jomely has developed her extroverted side and now finds strength in being there for others. “I consider myself an extrovert now. I love making connections. I go up to strangers. If I see somebody walking around with a camera or talking about photography, if I see someone with a specific book, I ask about it. If Im sitting in a coffee shop and I see you struggling with homework, I ask: do you need help?” Using an Instagram to Inspire Jomely extends her warmth and caring personality in the online world as well through her Instagram account which she has grown to 19.2K followers from around the world. She developed her interest in social media through her passion for modeling and photography, “Thats how it all got started, I was having fun with my camera, and then a local brand reached out to me while I was walking in the park. They asked me to do a photo shoot, and thats how the whole Instagram modeling kind of started for me.” When she first began modeling online, she did not consider herself an influencer, however, now Jomely recognizes that she can use her platform for social change by creating connections with others. While her account once focused primarily on fashion and clothing, Jomely has shifted her focus towards socially relevant content. She fuels important discussions for young women related to scars on her body. After posting an image about her scars, Jomely says many people reached out to her saying they had a similar experience. As a woman of color, Jomely has naturally curly, textured hair. She wears her hair naturally intentionally because she knows she has an influence. She hopes to demonstrate the beauty of natural hair and empower other women of color to embrace their appearance. A Favorite College Memory: Red Bull Can You Make It Jomely did not disappoint when asked to share one of her favorite memories from college so far. “My favorite memory in college was when I had the opportunity to go to Europe for a full week to compete with other college students.” Jomely had the chance to participate in an incredible backpacking trip hosted by Red Bull called Red Bull Can You Make It. The contest aimed to team up with other college students to navigate a series of challenges without the use of phones or cash. Cans of Red Bull were the only form of currency the teams were permitted to use to secure everything from lodging to transportation and food. After winning a local contest, Jomely’s group, Young Dreamerz, went on to compete with teams of young people from across the world. She calls the experience, “humbling” as she said it taught her to use her skills and the power of story to navigate the challenges. She says that she feels her team was effective because they were able to put all their skills together. They even managed to stay a few nights in 5-Star hotels! College is a Learning Experience Jomely is conscious that life is a learning process. She sees the bigger picture when it comes to college and suggests that it is an opportunity for learning and growth. She tells other students to enjoy their time in college, “I highly recommend enjoying the little things. Enjoy every moment, enjoy all the friends you make because college only happens for four years. For a lot of people just once. Its a once in a lifetime experience.” Jomely’s enthusiasm can only truly be captured in audio format, so if you’re interested in hearing her speak about her journey, make sure to check out our podcast here on Anchor. Like Jomely, we truly feel that university is an experience, a part of life’s journey that can teach you about yourself and give your life meaning. We believe that storytelling is a means to help like-minded people to connect across distance and difference. The conversation with Jomely was inspiring and uplifting, and just before we ended our talk, she offered her support to any students out there who are experiencing challenges of any kind. This is what we hope to do with this new podcast, Student Influencers. We will talk to successful student influencers who will tell their stories of struggle and triumph and then share these insights with you! To follow along please visit our Anchor site and stay tuned for future episodes. Read the full Transcript here: Cath Anne: [00:00:00] So, Hello friends and welcome back to The Homework Help Show hosted by Homework Help Global. Today were doing something a little different. We have Jomely here with us today, a student at University of Tampa and freelance model in Tampa Florida. Welcome Jomely. Jomely: [00:00:24] Were so happy to have you with us here today. And were going to talk a little bit about your journey as a student as well as your journey as an Instagram influencer and online personality. So, just a start off, I noticed that youve made a career for yourself on Instagram with 19.2K Followers you might have more than that at this point. Cath Anne: [00:00:53] Your photos are absolutely amazing. Can you tell us a little bit about how you got into that? Jomely: [00:01:00] Yeah. Thank you. So, Im actually a full time student and my passion is also modeling and photography. So, I studied business in school but in my free time I like to take pictures whether its me or other people. I am an influencer on Instagram. I love to make connections with brands, create content, just have fun with a camera. Thats how it all got started, I was having fun with my camera and then a local brand actually reached out to me while I was walking in the park and they asked me to do a photo shoot and thats how the whole Instagram modeling kind of started for me. Cath Anne: [00:01:37] Oh wow. Did they find you through Instagram or do they just approach you randomly? Jomely: [00:01:46] I used to model for many years, but it was for pageant, not social media. And when they found me they actually found me in person without ever seeing my Instagram before. At that time I had about 8,000 followers and I didnt consider myself an influencer, but after doing photo shoots with that brand after they reached out to me I realized I could make an influence on other peoples lives. Cath Anne: [00:02:13] Thats so cool. So, when you say make an influence in other peoples lives what is your kind of goal around Instagram? Jomely: [00:02:25] Well, before it was just to talk about fashion, outfits, but now I have a lot of people that connect with me. For example, I shared a post about a certain scar on my body and a lot of people just kind of told me the story about similar scars. I showed them how they can appreciate and love themselves first. I show people, for example, I have naturally curly hair which has now become more of a trend to have natural hair. So, I empowered other woman to have natural hair that is textured to leave it out naturally and things like that. Cath Anne: [00:03:03] Oh, thats amazing. So, you have other people reaching out and connecting to you because of these things that youre sharing about yourself. Cath Anne: [00:03:13] Its incredible. Its amazing that youre able to have that impact on people like across the world, probably. Jomely: [00:03:23] Yeah, my demographics are all over I can see on my business profile where my followers are from and I mean only 30 percent are from the U.S. A lot of them are from all around the world. Cath Anne: [00:03:33] Really? Like places in Europe or places in South America? Cath Anne: [00:03:45] I have a good amount from Europe, a good amount from the Caribbean islands. I have a good amount from Brazil, I have a good amount from Australia, actually. Cath Anne: [00:03:56] Wow, thats really something thats cool about Instagram and other social media platforms, that we can kind of connect with people all over the place. Cath Anne: [00:04:12] OK, so how do you feel about getting into some like demographic questions? Where are you currently located? We know that youre currently located in Tampa about what took you to Tampa Florida. Jomely: [00:04:31] What was that question, Im sorry. So, youre currently located in Tampa. What brought you there? Jomely: [00:04:41] I actually was born in the Dominican Republic and when I was 11 years old I moved to New York City and then I actually did High School in Boston, Massachusetts. I always wanted to go to Florida because of the warm weather and I found the University of Tampa when I was looking into colleges and stuff. I actually came to the University of Tampa because of the career that I was pursuing. The university offers a 4+1 program, which is a program where if you fulfill the requirements, you can get you a Masters degree in just one year after the for undergrad years. Cath Anne: [00:05:22] Thats amazing. How are other Masters programs, like two years or so? Jomely: [00:05:30] It depends on the major. I am a marketing major. I want to get my MBA in marketing and it is usually two years. Cath Anne: [00:05:38] In addition to your undergrad. Yes. Wow. Cath Anne: [00:05:44] So, youre going to do your Masters right after your final year of your undergraduate? Cath Anne: [00:05:54] Oh sorry. So, when you finish your undergraduate degree youll go right onto your Masters? Jomely: [00:06:01] So, how the program works is that on your last year of your undergrad, youre actually, you start taking graduate classes on your senior year. So, if basically in a year and a half it covers undergrad and grad. Cath Anne: [00:06:19] Oh thats really cool so that you get it right away. Thats great. So what year are you in right now? Jomely: [00:06:30] I am currently a Junior. So, my third year. Cath Anne: [00:06:33] So, then you have one more year and then a year of your Masters? Cath Anne: [00:06:40] Wow. Thats awesome. Cath Anne: [00:06:43] So, you mentioned a little bit about your degree. Youre focusing on marketing. What else are you looking at in your degree? Do you have any other majors? Jomely: [00:06:55] Yes. Im actually an international business and marketing major which also comes with a management degree. Cath Anne: [00:07:03] Wow thats incredible. So, can you tell us a little bit about the management aspect of it? Jomely: [00:07:12] I havent really gotten into the management aspect but, in my Degree Guide International Business and Marketing have the same Degree Guide as that is International Business and Management just a different, you just take classes in a different order. So, when you receive you diploma you receive a triple major. Cath Anne: [00:07:31] Wow. Such a good student. Yeah. Cath Anne: [00:07:37] So, we talked a little bit about your modeling and I kind of know how that has been as an experience while you are going to school. Like doing the modeling on Instagram, while youre going to school. How have you found that and has it been a good experience for you? Jomely: [00:07:57] Yeah, it has actually been a great experience for me. I mean, I am a full time student. I have a part time marketing job at a digital marketing company and Im also a Resident Assistant in my university. So, technically I have a full time student, two jobs, and modelling, which is technically considered another part time job. I love doing it all. I love keeping myself busy. And, I mean, its all about how to schedule yourself and how to manage everything and excel in all the things. Cath Anne: [00:08:30] So, how do you manage your time? Because I think that a really beneficial tip to other students that are listening. I know being an undergraduate student plus having multiple jobs can be hard to schedule, so can you tell us a little bit about some tips you use to keep organized? Jomely: [00:08:53] Yes definitely. So, I always say that I live by a planner, calendar, and alerts. I have my days, months, everything planned out by the hours. I have certain days blocked out just to study and do school work. I have friends that I meet up and we reserve a room to study certain days. And, even if I dont have homework that week I know theres work to do for next week. I actually had an intern, last semester that helped me run my social media and it was very successful. She was a communications major. I have a white board calendar in my room and I have a planner and then I have my calendar on my iPhone with alerts and also invites so even when my friends want to hang out with me, they just have to send me an invite on my calendar to see if it fits. Cath Anne: [00:09:48] Wow, thats a great way to do it actually because you make the best of your time. So, do your friends mind sending you an invite? Jomely: [00:10:02] Really, they actually love it. Because most of my friends are either Juniors or Seniors. We are all actually at a similar level being in university. Although, I live on campus, most of my friends actually live in apartments of campus therefore its actually good to have a certain date set up for a certain plan. Cath Anne: [00:10:20] Thats awesome. Cath Anne: [00:10:25] So, you have your planner, your white board, and your alerts on your phone and your calendar on your phone. So, what do you put on your white board? Jomely: [00:10:37] On my whiteboard I actually just plan out the month. It is usually school stuff that I have to get done and work that I have to get done just for the month like bigger projects that I have to keep an eye on. Then weekly, every Sunday, I add the week into that as well because I know that things come up and things go away. So I get those weekly. Cath Anne: [00:11:04] Wow. I may steal some of your tips. Jomely: [00:11:09] They are pretty great. Actually I love them. Cath Anne: [00:11:11] Yeah, I love the invite idea and I also love white board. Cath Anne: [00:11:16] I have I have like a bullet journal slash agenda, but thats about as far as my organization goes. So, I might steal a couple of your tips. Jomely: [00:11:26] Yeah, on my agenda I only put homework and due dates. Cath Anne: [00:11:31] Yeah I think thats a good idea. Jomely: [00:11:36] It keeps everything separated but together if that makes sense. Cath Anne: [00:11:40] Totally it sounds like you have an awesome system and I know youre really able to manage your time well so Im glad youre able to make time for us. Jomely: [00:11:52] Any time. Cath Anne: [00:11:55] Thanks so much. Cath Anne: [00:11:57] So, I know you have a really cool story that Id love to talk about. You talked about it with me briefly another time, but I love to talk about one of your favorite memories so far in college. Jomely: [00:12:13] Yes. My favorite memory in college was actually when I had the opportunity to go to Europe for a full week to compete with other college students. Jomely: [00:12:25] It was a backpacking trip and it was actually hosted by Red Bull. Its actually called Red Bull Can You Make It and anyone in any country can actually participate in this. So, if youre looking into college and you want to have a nice experience looking to Red Bull Can You Make It. I highly recommend it. Jomely: [00:12:45] And thats actually my best memory from college because Ive had to come up with a team which we were all different majors. One of them was the film major, the other one was entrepreneurship major, and I am a marketing major. So, that kind of all came together because we had to film a video to kind of showcase who we were and our school as well and what we do with our everyday life. Jomely: [00:13:08] We had to compete with other college students and whoever won within that voting phase actually got to go to Europe and compete worldwide and trade cans of Red Bull as currency with no phones and no money. Cath Anne: [00:13:24] Wow. So, how did you go about doing that? Jomely: [00:13:31] It was a lot of planning for it. It was a lot of planning beforehand. I actually wish I had the opportunity to do it again because I would plan even more. But, in the competition it was amazing because we actually had to film everything and we had challenges, we had check points, we got to stay in 5 star hotels by saying a story and it was it was a beautiful experience. It was a very humbling experience as well. Cath Anne: [00:14:01] So, you got to stay in five star hotels but you didnt have any currency to work with? How did you manage that? Jomely: [00:14:11] I believe that we put our skills together and I actually had use of my marketing skills because all we had was cans of Redbull to trade for things. We just kind of told the story and my teammates are actually influencers on Instagram as well. So, all together we had a 50k followers, we tell them that we can also advertise them in our Instagram and things like that. Cath Anne: [00:14:42] So, you didnt have your phones with you at that time. Did they just trust that you put some pictures up after the experience? Jomely: [00:14:54] Yes. Cath Anne: [00:14:55] Wow, thats so cool. So, Red Bull Can You Make It. Was the name of the event. So, well put that on the links too so people can check it out. Jomely: [00:15:06] Yeah, our teams name was actually Young Dreamerz with a z at the end if they look that up they can actually see our entire journey. Cath Anne: [00:15:15] Is it on YouTube? Or where is it? Cath Anne: [00:15:21] Its on Redbull Can You Make It.com Young Dreamerz. Ok. Cool yeah, yeah. Im going to check that out for sure. Cath Anne: [00:15:41] So, that was a really awesome story from college and really great experience. Have you had any struggles or challenges that you would describe as a student. Jomely: [00:15:55] Yeah I have. So, I mean I believe that college is a learning experience. I believe being in college is for school and youre in college to grow as a person as well. So, I feel like one of the struggles that Ive faced is overbooking myself. I always keep myself too busy and not having time for myself which I can manage now. Jomely: [00:16:19] Thats one of them and the other one was probably procrastinating. Putting off a project and then doing the whole project and going to sleep at 6:00 in the morning and waking up in 8a.m. because I thought it was easier then it actually was. Cath Anne: [00:16:34] So , what have you learned? Like, what would you change now? Jomely: [00:16:41] Yeah. Now it was more about planning and scheduling like I said before. So, now every week, like I said I have one day that I only do schoolwork after class. Like I said even if I dont have to this week I can start a project for next week or next month. Im always on top of everything. Then for overbooking myself I always have something like a day to go to a pool or a day to read or a day to just relax. Cath Anne: [00:17:11] Thats so important. I think that raises a really good point because we can tend to overbook ourselves. I find especially in this day and age where we always have our phones or computers on us. So, what are the types of things that you. Because I think that actually extends to when youre in the working world as well. Not just when your student so, it is really good to learn those skills now before you start going into work. Im wondering, you mentioned the pool or to read, but are there any activities that you do, Jomely, that help you to kind of relax and decompress? Jomely: [00:17:59] Yeah, I actually love working out. I love fitness. So, I asked my friends usually like they go to the gym or do something like that. Like I said I live in Florida. We have really warm weather and we have a pool on campus. So, we just walk over to the pool, we go have lunch or something like that you see something that you would think people normally do but you actually, when you overbook yourself you actually dont enjoy little things as much as you would expect. Cath Anne: [00:18:31] Its true and I think thats so important because really you could work all the time if you wanted to. But, I think youre right. You made a really good point in saying that we dont necessarily always make the time to do those things. So, I think thats really important message. Cath Anne: [00:18:50] So, then this question is kind of interesting. So, if you go back and talk to your 15- year old self, what would you say to yourself at that age and what advice would you give? Jomely: [00:19:09] I laugh because when I think of 15-year old self and when I think of me now, 5 years later, I have changed a lot. When I was 15-years old, I was a very introvert person. I wouldnt speak with strangers, I wouldnt pick up the phone to order food. I would be afraid of my accent. I would be afraid to speak English. Jomely: [00:19:35] Yeah, there was a lot of things and then when youre 15 I feel like thats the age where you can easily get peer pressured as well. Jomely: [00:19:43] So, I feel like people tend to listen more of what other people say than what you believe in. So, what I would say to my 15-year old self to not be afraid to be myself, to pursue my dreams, and make it happen no matter what other people are doing. Just to love myself and always know that whoever wishes the best for you is always going to remain by your side. Cath Anne: [00:20:11] We dont know that is 15-year old people. I cant believe you used to be so introverted Youre so well-spoken. Jomely: [00:20:28] I consider myself an extrovert now. I love making connections. I go up to strangers. I see somebody walking around with a camera or talking about photography. If I see someone with a specific book, I ask about it. Im sitting in a coffee shop and I see you struggling with homework I ask them, do you need help? Cath Anne: [00:20:49] So, what changed? Jomely: [00:20:53] I feel like coming to college changed a lot because going to a whole different state. Thousands of miles away from home, being with no family living nearby, you have to learn to make new connections and learn about experience. I feel like taking classes such as speech for business actually helped me a lot. Even the whole social media world where people started coming up to me and reaching out I was like I should do the same thing and reach out to other people as well. Cath Anne: [00:21:24] Wow, thats so cool I love it. Im so glad youve grown in your self-esteem and your confidence. Its fantastic. Cath Anne: [00:21:36] So, just switching gears a little bit. Do you have any current short term or long term goals that youre working on? Jomely: [00:21:45] Yes I have. I actually. Funny story I actually did an RA program last night. I did vision boards with my students. I had all of them put their phones down and talk about them. Jomely: [00:22:02] I am actually since I am a junior Im taking 300 level classes and they are more focused on my majors. So, Im currently working on getting straight As in all my classes and so far I have achieved it. I have straight As right now. My other goal is to travel. I want to, before the December, I want to go to the fashion show in Miami and maybe be a part of it. I also want to visit California before December. Cath Anne: [00:22:40] So, you want to maybe in the fashion show?. That is so cool. Are there any other places you want to travel like long term, long term goals? Jomely: [00:22:54] Yes, for a long-term goal, I have so many. I want to travel the world. I want to actually use my Instagram, since like I said in Europe and another country that I was in Amsterdam, I was able to stay in a hotel. I went to be able to make those connections and use that as a package to reach out to hotels and create content for them. Jomely: [00:23:17] I want to be able to make a team member and go to Canada, go to Mexico to all the countries around the world and just create content for hotels. Cath Anne: [00:23:33] So, you want to kind of use the model that you learned from the Red Bull contest to apply to your career? Cath Anne: [00:23:44] Awesome. So, this is kind of a big question if you had to summarize your life story what would you say? Jomely: [00:23:58] Its really hard to summarize such a long story but, I feel like I would say, that I was a little girl in a foreign country with big dreams and that never gave up to this day she has accomplished all of her goals and theres many other goals that shes working on and she believes she can do with it. Cath Anne: [00:24:21] Amazing. Youre so inspiring. Every time I talk to you I just go away and Im like, aw this girl is awesome. Jomely: [00:24:34] Thats what Im here for. I want to make everyones life better. Cath Anne: [00:24:37] Yeah, it radiates you could really hear it in your voice and your passion for everything you do. So, keep doing what youre doing. Jomely: [00:24:47] Thank you. I really appreciate that. Cath Anne: [00:24:52] So, finally what advice would you gave to a student just entering college or university this year? Jomely: [00:25:02] So, based on my own experiences and all the people I have met within the three years Ive been in college, I think that when someone comes in the big pressure that people get is the question whats your major? What are you going to do with your life?. What are you going to do after you graduate? So, I feel like people shouldnt feel rushed to go into specific field or something they should find their passion or what they love. I highly recommend, enjoy the little things. Enjoy every moment, enjoy all the friends you make because college only happens for four years. For a lot of people just once. Its a once in a lifetime experience. Jomely: [00:25:43] One thing is do the homework before it piles up. Dont procrastinate, do your homework because youre going to end up with no sleep, bags under your eyes, and a lot of caffeine in your system there if you dont. Cath Anne: [00:26:05] Yeah, falling asleep in class, all that stuff. Cath Anne: [00:26:11] So, one last question, can you give us one of your favorite motivational quotes? Jomely: [00:26:19] Yes. I always live by this quote and its funny because I looked at my picture from my senior year in high school and I actually wrote the quote down on my picture. Yeah, it is quote unquote, “Believe you can and youre half way there. Cath Anne: [00:26:39] Thats awesome. And youve already gotten more than halfway there even since high school. Jomely: [00:26:46] Yeah, just believe you can do something and make it happen. Cath Anne: [00:26:50] Thats so awesome. Jomely: [00:26:52] Well, thank you so much for joining me, Jomely. We loved having you here and sharing your story. I think your experience is going to be really beneficial to other students and our listeners. Cath Anne: [00:27:07] And, oh yes, so if people listening want to find you, how can they look you up on Instagram? Jomely: [00:27:14] Yeah so my Instagram is @iamjbreton. Cath Anne: [00:27:26] Okay, awesome thank you so much for joining us and we will end it there for today. We appreciate you sharing your story with us and take care and hope well keep in touch. Jomely: [00:27:44] Also, can I add one more thing? Cath Anne: [00:27:45] Oh yeah absolutely. Jomely: [00:27:49] For the listeners, especially whether youre in college, going to college whether youre in social media or anything if you have any questions always feel free to reach out to me through DMs on my Instagram or even shoot me an email. I am happy to help you out. Whether you want to pick out a school or pick out a program or anything in those lines just talk to me. Im here to help you Im a resource. Cath Anne: [00:28:14] Oh thats so kind. Thanks so much. Im sure youll have lots of people reaching out to you. Thats awesome. Thanks so much again and we cant wait to see what other things you get up to, well be following alone on your Instagram. Cath Anne: [00:28:33] All the best, Jomely. Interview with Influencer Jomely Breton Instagram Influencer Jomely Breton on College, Inspiration, and Achieving Your Dreams Instagram Influencer Jomely Breton on College, Inspiration, and Achieving Your Dreams Join us for our new podcast, “Student Influencers”! In this podcast series we interview current and former university and college students about their lives during and post-graduation. Listen along as we speak to students from across the world who have created a side-hustle working as social media influencers while attending classes. Tune in to hear how they organize their busy schedules, keep motivated and what drives them to pursue their passions. Learn along with us as we check in with these inspiring up-and-comers. On the first episode of Student Influencers, we had the opportunity to speak with an inspiring young woman who has a penchant for planning, a passion for photography, and a desire to make the world a better place. Believe You Can and You’re Halfway There “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” Theodore Roosevelt These words frame Jomely Breton’s high school yearbook picture, and she continues to live by them two years later. Throughout her life, she has believed in herself, and it shows. She is a young, vibrant woman on a mission to achieve her goals and to inspire everyone around her to do the same. When I spoke with her on the phone, her upbeat energy was contagious, and I left the call with a renewed sense of empowerment. Jomely describes her life as a ‘long story’ despite her age. Though I got the sense that she had experienced some difficulties in her life, her positivity was unwavering. When I asked about her life story, she said, “I was a little girl in a foreign country with big dreams that never gave up. To this day that little girl has accomplished all of her goals, and there are many other goals she hopes to achieve. She believes she can do it.” In her young life, Jomely has moved around many times. She grew up in the Dominican Republic and moved to the United States when she was 11 years old. Following some time in NYC, Jomely completed her high school years in Boston, Massachusetts. Now, she attends college in Florida at the University of Tampa. She cites two of the primary reasons for choosing U of T as the warm weather and their prestigious business program. Achieving Dreams Through Practical Means Jomely is not just an inspiring woman; she is also high achieving and intelligent. So far she has reached her goal of getting straight A’s in all her courses in her junior year as a marketing major. Jomely’s success is partly due to her strict study schedule and the lessons she’s learned along the way as a student. Jomely says that she lives by a “planner, calendar, and alerts.” She even has her friends send an electronic invitation to spend time with her so that she can maximize downtime while maintaining productivity on days where school is the priority. She tells me that she learned to time manage so well because she quickly realized that procrastination would not get her anywhere. Jomely reminds other students, “One thing is: do the homework before it piles up. Dont procrastinate, do your homework because youre going to end up with no sleep, bags under your eyes, and a lot of caffeine in your system if you dont.” When she isn’t spending scheduled time with friends, or studying in advance for upcoming tests, Jomely can be found providing support for students on campus as a Resident’s Assistant. Jomely takes pride in being able to share her experiences and be a supportive person for new students. For someone who once considered themselves an introvert, Jomely has developed her extroverted side and now finds strength in being there for others. “I consider myself an extrovert now. I love making connections. I go up to strangers. If I see somebody walking around with a camera or talking about photography, if I see someone with a specific book, I ask about it. If Im sitting in a coffee shop and I see you struggling with homework, I ask: do you need help?” Using an Instagram to Inspire Jomely extends her warmth and caring personality in the online world as well through her Instagram account which she has grown to 19.2K followers from around the world. She developed her interest in social media through her passion for modeling and photography, “Thats how it all got started, I was having fun with my camera, and then a local brand reached out to me while I was walking in the park. They asked me to do a photo shoot, and thats how the whole Instagram modeling kind of started for me.” When she first began modeling online, she did not consider herself an influencer, however, now Jomely recognizes that she can use her platform for social change by creating connections with others. While her account once focused primarily on fashion and clothing, Jomely has shifted her focus towards socially relevant content. She fuels important discussions for young women related to scars on her body. After posting an image about her scars, Jomely says many people reached out to her saying they had a similar experience. As a woman of color, Jomely has naturally curly, textured hair. She wears her hair naturally intentionally because she knows she has an influence. She hopes to demonstrate the beauty of natural hair and empower other women of color to embrace their appearance. A Favorite College Memory: Red Bull Can You Make It Jomely did not disappoint when asked to share one of her favorite memories from college so far. “My favorite memory in college was when I had the opportunity to go to Europe for a full week to compete with other college students.” Jomely had the chance to participate in an incredible backpacking trip hosted by Red Bull called Red Bull Can You Make It. The contest aimed to team up with other college students to navigate a series of challenges without the use of phones or cash. Cans of Red Bull were the only form of currency the teams were permitted to use to secure everything from lodging to transportation and food. After winning a local contest, Jomely’s group, Young Dreamerz, went on to compete with teams of young people from across the world. She calls the experience, “humbling” as she said it taught her to use her skills and the power of story to navigate the challenges. She says that she feels her team was effective because they were able to put all their skills together. They even managed to stay a few nights in 5-Star hotels! College is a Learning Experience Jomely is conscious that life is a learning process. She sees the bigger picture when it comes to college and suggests that it is an opportunity for learning and growth. She tells other students to enjoy their time in college, “I highly recommend enjoying the little things. Enjoy every moment, enjoy all the friends you make because college only happens for four years. For a lot of people just once. Its a once in a lifetime experience.” Jomely’s enthusiasm can only truly be captured in audio format, so if you’re interested in hearing her speak about her journey, make sure to check out our podcast here on Anchor. Like Jomely, we truly feel that university is an experience, a part of life’s journey that can teach you about yourself and give your life meaning. We believe that storytelling is a means to help like-minded people to connect across distance and difference. The conversation with Jomely was inspiring and uplifting, and just before we ended our talk, she offered her support to any students out there who are experiencing challenges of any kind. This is what we hope to do with this new podcast, Student Influencers. We will talk to successful student influencers who will tell their stories of struggle and triumph and then share these insights with you! To follow along please visit our Anchor site and stay tuned for future episodes. Read the full Transcript here: Cath Anne: [00:00:00] So, Hello friends and welcome back to The Homework Help Show hosted by Homework Help Global. Today were doing something a little different. We have Jomely here with us today, a student at University of Tampa and freelance model in Tampa Florida. Welcome Jomely. Jomely: [00:00:24] Were so happy to have you with us here today. And were going to talk a little bit about your journey as a student as well as your journey as an Instagram influencer and online personality. So, just a start off, I noticed that youve made a career for yourself on Instagram with 19.2K Followers you might have more than that at this point. Cath Anne: [00:00:53] Your photos are absolutely amazing. Can you tell us a little bit about how you got into that? Jomely: [00:01:00] Yeah. Thank you. So, Im actually a full time student and my passion is also modeling and photography. So, I studied business in school but in my free time I like to take pictures whether its me or other people. I am an influencer on Instagram. I love to make connections with brands, create content, just have fun with a camera. Thats how it all got started, I was having fun with my camera and then a local brand actually reached out to me while I was walking in the park and they asked me to do a photo shoot and thats how the whole Instagram modeling kind of started for me. Cath Anne: [00:01:37] Oh wow. Did they find you through Instagram or do they just approach you randomly? Jomely: [00:01:46] I used to model for many years, but it was for pageant, not social media. And when they found me they actually found me in person without ever seeing my Instagram before. At that time I had about 8,000 followers and I didnt consider myself an influencer, but after doing photo shoots with that brand after they reached out to me I realized I could make an influence on other peoples lives. Cath Anne: [00:02:13] Thats so cool. So, when you say make an influence in other peoples lives what is your kind of goal around Instagram? Jomely: [00:02:25] Well, before it was just to talk about fashion, outfits, but now I have a lot of people that connect with me. For example, I shared a post about a certain scar on my body and a lot of people just kind of told me the story about similar scars. I showed them how they can appreciate and love themselves first. I show people, for example, I have naturally curly hair which has now become more of a trend to have natural hair. So, I empowered other woman to have natural hair that is textured to leave it out naturally and things like that. Cath Anne: [00:03:03] Oh, thats amazing. So, you have other people reaching out and connecting to you because of these things that youre sharing about yourself. Cath Anne: [00:03:13] Its incredible. Its amazing that youre able to have that impact on people like across the world, probably. Jomely: [00:03:23] Yeah, my demographics are all over I can see on my business profile where my followers are from and I mean only 30 percent are from the U.S. A lot of them are from all around the world. Cath Anne: [00:03:33] Really? Like places in Europe or places in South America? Cath Anne: [00:03:45] I have a good amount from Europe, a good amount from the Caribbean islands. I have a good amount from Brazil, I have a good amount from Australia, actually. Cath Anne: [00:03:56] Wow, thats really something thats cool about Instagram and other social media platforms, that we can kind of connect with people all over the place. Cath Anne: [00:04:12] OK, so how do you feel about getting into some like demographic questions? Where are you currently located? We know that youre currently located in Tampa about what took you to Tampa Florida. Jomely: [00:04:31] What was that question, Im sorry. So, youre currently located in Tampa. What brought you there? Jomely: [00:04:41] I actually was born in the Dominican Republic and when I was 11 years old I moved to New York City and then I actually did High School in Boston, Massachusetts. I always wanted to go to Florida because of the warm weather and I found the University of Tampa when I was looking into colleges and stuff. I actually came to the University of Tampa because of the career that I was pursuing. The university offers a 4+1 program, which is a program where if you fulfill the requirements, you can get you a Masters degree in just one year after the for undergrad years. Cath Anne: [00:05:22] Thats amazing. How are other Masters programs, like two years or so? Jomely: [00:05:30] It depends on the major. I am a marketing major. I want to get my MBA in marketing and it is usually two years. Cath Anne: [00:05:38] In addition to your undergrad. Yes. Wow. Cath Anne: [00:05:44] So, youre going to do your Masters right after your final year of your undergraduate? Cath Anne: [00:05:54] Oh sorry. So, when you finish your undergraduate degree youll go right onto your Masters? Jomely: [00:06:01] So, how the program works is that on your last year of your undergrad, youre actually, you start taking graduate classes on your senior year. So, if basically in a year and a half it covers undergrad and grad. Cath Anne: [00:06:19] Oh thats really cool so that you get it right away. Thats great. So what year are you in right now? Jomely: [00:06:30] I am currently a Junior. So, my third year. Cath Anne: [00:06:33] So, then you have one more year and then a year of your Masters? Cath Anne: [00:06:40] Wow. Thats awesome. Cath Anne: [00:06:43] So, you mentioned a little bit about your degree. Youre focusing on marketing. What else are you looking at in your degree? Do you have any other majors? Jomely: [00:06:55] Yes. Im actually an international business and marketing major which also comes with a management degree. Cath Anne: [00:07:03] Wow thats incredible. So, can you tell us a little bit about the management aspect of it? Jomely: [00:07:12] I havent really gotten into the management aspect but, in my Degree Guide International Business and Marketing have the same Degree Guide as that is International Business and Management just a different, you just take classes in a different order. So, when you receive you diploma you receive a triple major. Cath Anne: [00:07:31] Wow. Such a good student. Yeah. Cath Anne: [00:07:37] So, we talked a little bit about your modeling and I kind of know how that has been as an experience while you are going to school. Like doing the modeling on Instagram, while youre going to school. How have you found that and has it been a good experience for you? Jomely: [00:07:57] Yeah, it has actually been a great experience for me. I mean, I am a full time student. I have a part time marketing job at a digital marketing company and Im also a Resident Assistant in my university. So, technically I have a full time student, two jobs, and modelling, which is technically considered another part time job. I love doing it all. I love keeping myself busy. And, I mean, its all about how to schedule yourself and how to manage everything and excel in all the things. Cath Anne: [00:08:30] So, how do you manage your time? Because I think that a really beneficial tip to other students that are listening. I know being an undergraduate student plus having multiple jobs can be hard to schedule, so can you tell us a little bit about some tips you use to keep organized? Jomely: [00:08:53] Yes definitely. So, I always say that I live by a planner, calendar, and alerts. I have my days, months, everything planned out by the hours. I have certain days blocked out just to study and do school work. I have friends that I meet up and we reserve a room to study certain days. And, even if I dont have homework that week I know theres work to do for next week. I actually had an intern, last semester that helped me run my social media and it was very successful. She was a communications major. I have a white board calendar in my room and I have a planner and then I have my calendar on my iPhone with alerts and also invites so even when my friends want to hang out with me, they just have to send me an invite on my calendar to see if it fits. Cath Anne: [00:09:48] Wow, thats a great way to do it actually because you make the best of your time. So, do your friends mind sending you an invite? Jomely: [00:10:02] Really, they actually love it. Because most of my friends are either Juniors or Seniors. We are all actually at a similar level being in university. Although, I live on campus, most of my friends actually live in apartments of campus therefore its actually good to have a certain date set up for a certain plan. Cath Anne: [00:10:20] Thats awesome. Cath Anne: [00:10:25] So, you have your planner, your white board, and your alerts on your phone and your calendar on your phone. So, what do you put on your white board? Jomely: [00:10:37] On my whiteboard I actually just plan out the month. It is usually school stuff that I have to get done and work that I have to get done just for the month like bigger projects that I have to keep an eye on. Then weekly, every Sunday, I add the week into that as well because I know that things come up and things go away. So I get those weekly. Cath Anne: [00:11:04] Wow. I may steal some of your tips. Jomely: [00:11:09] They are pretty great. Actually I love them. Cath Anne: [00:11:11] Yeah, I love the invite idea and I also love white board. Cath Anne: [00:11:16] I have I have like a bullet journal slash agenda, but thats about as far as my organization goes. So, I might steal a couple of your tips. Jomely: [00:11:26] Yeah, on my agenda I only put homework and due dates. Cath Anne: [00:11:31] Yeah I think thats a good idea. Jomely: [00:11:36] It keeps everything separated but together if that makes sense. Cath Anne: [00:11:40] Totally it sounds like you have an awesome system and I know youre really able to manage your time well so Im glad youre able to make time for us. Jomely: [00:11:52] Any time. Cath Anne: [00:11:55] Thanks so much. Cath Anne: [00:11:57] So, I know you have a really cool story that Id love to talk about. You talked about it with me briefly another time, but I love to talk about one of your favorite memories so far in college. Jomely: [00:12:13] Yes. My favorite memory in college was actually when I had the opportunity to go to Europe for a full week to compete with other college students. Jomely: [00:12:25] It was a backpacking trip and it was actually hosted by Red Bull. Its actually called Red Bull Can You Make It and anyone in any country can actually participate in this. So, if youre looking into college and you want to have a nice experience looking to Red Bull Can You Make It. I highly recommend it. Jomely: [00:12:45] And thats actually my best memory from college because Ive had to come up with a team which we were all different majors. One of them was the film major, the other one was entrepreneurship major, and I am a marketing major. So, that kind of all came together because we had to film a video to kind of showcase who we were and our school as well and what we do with our everyday life. Jomely: [00:13:08] We had to compete with other college students and whoever won within that voting phase actually got to go to Europe and compete worldwide and trade cans of Red Bull as currency with no phones and no money. Cath Anne: [00:13:24] Wow. So, how did you go about doing that? Jomely: [00:13:31] It was a lot of planning for it. It was a lot of planning beforehand. I actually wish I had the opportunity to do it again because I would plan even more. But, in the competition it was amazing because we actually had to film everything and we had challenges, we had check points, we got to stay in 5 star hotels by saying a story and it was it was a beautiful experience. It was a very humbling experience as well. Cath Anne: [00:14:01] So, you got to stay in five star hotels but you didnt have any currency to work with? How did you manage that? Jomely: [00:14:11] I believe that we put our skills together and I actually had use of my marketing skills because all we had was cans of Redbull to trade for things. We just kind of told the story and my teammates are actually influencers on Instagram as well. So, all together we had a 50k followers, we tell them that we can also advertise them in our Instagram and things like that. Cath Anne: [00:14:42] So, you didnt have your phones with you at that time. Did they just trust that you put some pictures up after the experience? Jomely: [00:14:54] Yes. Cath Anne: [00:14:55] Wow, thats so cool. So, Red Bull Can You Make It. Was the name of the event. So, well put that on the links too so people can check it out. Jomely: [00:15:06] Yeah, our teams name was actually Young Dreamerz with a z at the end if they look that up they can actually see our entire journey. Cath Anne: [00:15:15] Is it on YouTube? Or where is it? Cath Anne: [00:15:21] Its on Redbull Can You Make It.com Young Dreamerz. Ok. Cool yeah, yeah. Im going to check that out for sure. Cath Anne: [00:15:41] So, that was a really awesome story from college and really great experience. Have you had any struggles or challenges that you would describe as a student. Jomely: [00:15:55] Yeah I have. So, I mean I believe that college is a learning experience. I believe being in college is for school and youre in college to grow as a person as well. So, I feel like one of the struggles that Ive faced is overbooking myself. I always keep myself too busy and not having time for myself which I can manage now. Jomely: [00:16:19] Thats one of them and the other one was probably procrastinating. Putting off a project and then doing the whole project and going to sleep at 6:00 in the morning and waking up in 8a.m. because I thought it was easier then it actually was. Cath Anne: [00:16:34] So , what have you learned? Like, what would you change now? Jomely: [00:16:41] Yeah. Now it was more about planning and scheduling like I said before. So, now every week, like I said I have one day that I only do schoolwork after class. Like I said even if I dont have to this week I can start a project for next week or next month. Im always on top of everything. Then for overbooking myself I always have something like a day to go to a pool or a day to read or a day to just relax. Cath Anne: [00:17:11] Thats so important. I think that raises a really good point because we can tend to overbook ourselves. I find especially in this day and age where we always have our phones or computers on us. So, what are the types of things that you. Because I think that actually extends to when youre in the working world as well. Not just when your student so, it is really good to learn those skills now before you start going into work. Im wondering, you mentioned the pool or to read, but are there any activities that you do, Jomely, that help you to kind of relax and decompress? Jomely: [00:17:59] Yeah, I actually love working out. I love fitness. So, I asked my friends usually like they go to the gym or do something like that. Like I said I live in Florida. We have really warm weather and we have a pool on campus. So, we just walk over to the pool, we go have lunch or something like that you see something that you would think people normally do but you actually, when you overbook yourself you actually dont enjoy little things as much as you would expect. Cath Anne: [00:18:31] Its true and I think thats so important because really you could work all the time if you wanted to. But, I think youre right. You made a really good point in saying that we dont necessarily always make the time to do those things. So, I think thats really important message. Cath Anne: [00:18:50] So, then this question is kind of interesting. So, if you go back and talk to your 15- year old self, what would you say to yourself at that age and what advice would you give? Jomely: [00:19:09] I laugh because when I think of 15-year old self and when I think of me now, 5 years later, I have changed a lot. When I was 15-years old, I was a very introvert person. I wouldnt speak with strangers, I wouldnt pick up the phone to order food. I would be afraid of my accent. I would be afraid to speak English. Jomely: [00:19:35] Yeah, there was a lot of things and then when youre 15 I feel like thats the age where you can easily get peer pressured as well. Jomely: [00:19:43] So, I feel like people tend to listen more of what other people say than what you believe in. So, what I would say to my 15-year old self to not be afraid to be myself, to pursue my dreams, and make it happen no matter what other people are doing. Just to love myself and always know that whoever wishes the best for you is always going to remain by your side. Cath Anne: [00:20:11] We dont know that is 15-year old people. I cant believe you used to be so introverted Youre so well-spoken. Jomely: [00:20:28] I consider myself an extrovert now. I love making connections. I go up to strangers. I see somebody walking around with a camera or talking about photography. If I see someone with a specific book, I ask about it. Im sitting in a coffee shop and I see you struggling with homework I ask them, do you need help? Cath Anne: [00:20:49] So, what changed? Jomely: [00:20:53] I feel like coming to college changed a lot because going to a whole different state. Thousands of miles away from home, being with no family living nearby, you have to learn to make new connections and learn about experience. I feel like taking classes such as speech for business actually helped me a lot. Even the whole social media world where people started coming up to me and reaching out I was like I should do the same thing and reach out to other people as well. Cath Anne: [00:21:24] Wow, thats so cool I love it. Im so glad youve grown in your self-esteem and your confidence. Its fantastic. Cath Anne: [00:21:36] So, just switching gears a little bit. Do you have any current short term or long term goals that youre working on? Jomely: [00:21:45] Yes I have. I actually. Funny story I actually did an RA program last night. I did vision boards with my students. I had all of them put their phones down and talk about them. Jomely: [00:22:02] I am actually since I am a junior Im taking 300 level classes and they are more focused on my majors. So, Im currently working on getting straight As in all my classes and so far I have achieved it. I have straight As right now. My other goal is to travel. I want to, before the December, I want to go to the fashion show in Miami and maybe be a part of it. I also want to visit California before December. Cath Anne: [00:22:40] So, you want to maybe in the fashion show?. That is so cool. Are there any other places you want to travel like long term, long term goals? Jomely: [00:22:54] Yes, for a long-term goal, I have so many. I want to travel the world. I want to actually use my Instagram, since like I said in Europe and another country that I was in Amsterdam, I was able to stay in a hotel. I went to be able to make those connections and use that as a package to reach out to hotels and create content for them. Jomely: [00:23:17] I want to be able to make a team member and go to Canada, go to Mexico to all the countries around the world and just create content for hotels. Cath Anne: [00:23:33] So, you want to kind of use the model that you learned from the Red Bull contest to apply to your career? Cath Anne: [00:23:44] Awesome. So, this is kind of a big question if you had to summarize your life story what would you say? Jomely: [00:23:58] Its really hard to summarize such a long story but, I feel like I would say, that I was a little girl in a foreign country with big dreams and that never gave up to this day she has accomplished all of her goals and theres many other goals that shes working on and she believes she can do with it. Cath Anne: [00:24:21] Amazing. Youre so inspiring. Every time I talk to you I just go away and Im like, aw this girl is awesome. Jomely: [00:24:34] Thats what Im here for. I want to make everyones life better. Cath Anne: [00:24:37] Yeah, it radiates you could really hear it in your voice and your passion for everything you do. So, keep doing what youre doing. Jomely: [00:24:47] Thank you. I really appreciate that. Cath Anne: [00:24:52] So, finally what advice would you gave to a student just entering college or university this year? Jomely: [00:25:02] So, based on my own experiences and all the people I have met within the three years Ive been in college, I think that when someone comes in the big pressure that people get is the question whats your major? What are you going to do with your life?. What are you going to do after you graduate? So, I feel like people shouldnt feel rushed to go into specific field or something they should find their passion or what they love. I highly recommend, enjoy the little things. Enjoy every moment, enjoy all the friends you make because college only happens for four years. For a lot of people just once. Its a once in a lifetime experience. Jomely: [00:25:43] One thing is do the homework before it piles up. Dont procrastinate, do your homework because youre going to end up with no sleep, bags under your eyes, and a lot of caffeine in your system there if you dont. Cath Anne: [00:26:05] Yeah, falling asleep in class, all that stuff. Cath Anne: [00:26:11] So, one last question, can you give us one of your favorite motivational quotes? Jomely: [00:26:19] Yes. I always live by this quote and its funny because I looked at my picture from my senior year in high school and I actually wrote the quote down on my picture. Yeah, it is quote unquote, “Believe you can and youre half way there. Cath Anne: [00:26:39] Thats awesome. And youve already gotten more than halfway there even since high school. Jomely: [00:26:46] Yeah, just believe you can do something and make it happen. Cath Anne: [00:26:50] Thats so awesome. Jomely: [00:26:52] Well, thank you so much for joining me, Jomely. We loved having you here and sharing your story. I think your experience is going to be really beneficial to other students and our listeners. Cath Anne: [00:27:07] And, oh yes, so if people listening want to find you, how can they look you up on Instagram? Jomely: [00:27:14] Yeah so my Instagram is @iamjbreton. Cath Anne: [00:27:26] Okay, awesome thank you so much for joining us and we will end it there for today. We appreciate you sharing your story with us and take care and hope well keep in touch. Jomely: [00:27:44] Also, can I add one more thing? Cath Anne: [00:27:45] Oh yeah absolutely. Jomely: [00:27:49] For the listeners, especially whether youre in college, going to college whether youre in social media or anything if you have any questions always feel free to reach out to me through DMs on my Instagram or even shoot me an email. I am happy to help you out. Whether you want to pick out a school or pick out a program or anything in those lines just talk to me. Im here to help you Im a resource. Cath Anne: [00:28:14] Oh thats so kind. Thanks so much. Im sure youll have lots of people reaching out to you. Thats awesome. Thanks so much again and we cant wait to see what other things you get up to, well be following alone on your Instagram. Cath Anne: [00:28:33] All the best, Jomely.