Today we’d like to introduce you to Ruby Moran.
Hi Ruby, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I never thought I would be a business student. I had always believed that the only thing I was good at was the humanities, like English or history. Most of my high school courses were based in those subjects, and I spent a lot of time honing in my literary skills. I couldn’t participate in my high school’s clubs after school, so I started finding extracurriculars online to be a part of. These activities were where I learned how to be a part of a team and eventually how to be a leader. It was these experiences that started my curiosity that led to my study of business in college. I’m only in my second semester, but over the past few months I’ve already learned so much that I didn’t before. Through my business law class I found out that I actually liked looking at and analyzing cases, when I used to think studying law would be grueling and boring. Through my business foundations class I learned the basics of management, marketing, and more while completing a group project that sparked an interest for management consulting. Through my fall internship as an events management intern I learned how to conduct basic data analysis and how to use Excel and Teams, things I never thought I would have an affinity for. Now, I’m quite happy with the way I’ve chosen to balance my business studies with my humanities/arts oriented activities. I still write, I still draw, and I’ve just begun to learn how to dance. I’m somewhere I never thought I would be.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has definitely not been smooth. Again, I couldn’t participate in clubs alongside my peers in high school. I had to and still have to go home early to help look after my little sister. This has caused a lot of difficulty with scheduling and trying to be a part of the events my schools have hosted. I also couldn’t go away for college the way I always dreamed I would because of my duty to my family. I understand that I play an integral role in how my family functions, but I can’t help but feel like I’ve fallen behind my peers in terms of personal development and discovering new parts of the world outside of the comfort of my home. Despite this, I’ve been able to find community in several different ways. I made friends, I’m finally able to participate in clubs because of how early in the day they hold their meetings, and my sister brings an immense amount of joy in any room she enters. In a way, I’m glad it turned out the way that it did.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m currently a student and an intern for Verso Books. I’m mostly known for my writing, I’ve been publishing my work for a few years now. First at The Science Survey with my high school, then a little bit for The Cleverly Creatives, in which I currently manage the writers and editors, and now I am writing for The Ticker at my college and seek to publish elsewhere as well. I aspire to publish a fantasy novel someday, but at the moment I’ve been writing more articles than fiction. I’m most proud of how far I’ve come in all sorts of different ways. I started writing for the school newspaper thinking I could only ever write fiction, I started studying business without knowing a thing about it, I applied for my first leadership position without ever having led a team before. I’m proud of the way I’ve been able to navigate all the changes I’ve faced so far, and I’m excited to see how much more I’ll grow as I navigate the next change. I have also opened a RedBubble shop to debut some of my art. I’m occupied with school at the moment, but I do have about 5 designs available to browse through on notebooks, phone cases, prints, stickers, and more. A lot of what I have done and continue to do comes from a place of passion and curiosity, and I hope that that stays with me for the rest of my life.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Do the thing that you’re scared of. Publish that poem, story, or article. Apply for that internship. Of course, conduct your research, take the time to hone in on what you want to highlight the most. Do you want to show how creative you are, how analytical you are, how conscientious you are? Step out of your safe space for a moment and seek the experience that will allow you to do just that. There will always be a sense of fear and hesitation when trying something new, but it may be worth it. Even if it doesn’t go well, there is something to be learned from that time that you can take with you to the next experience.
Contact Info:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruby-moran03/
- Other: https://www.redbubble.com/people/RubysDelights/shop?asc=u&ref=account-nav-dropdown
Image Credits
Ruby Moran