A Piece of Valerie's Story
Meet Valerie Oresko; she's all things hilarious when it comes to day to day life. Currently working at Sephora and in the midst of trying out to become a Detroit Lions Cheerleader, she somehow finds time to also teach dance classes and practice her makeup skills. Read more about how she started her own Princess company and has plans for a new small business in the near future! Thanks for inspiring us and making us laugh Valerie!
WHAT ARE YOU UP TO RIGHT NOW? ARE YOU IN SCHOOL, WORK?
Currently I’m sitting in a coffee shop talking to a mustachioed old man about his ham and cheese croissant. But more big picture, I’m in the midst of earning my bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Dance. Recently, I’ve took some steps back from school in order to gain some perspective about what I want to do with the rest of my life, so I have been spending my time working at Sephora, teaching dance classes, freelance writing, and growing my own small business.
WHAT'S YOUR DAILY ROUTINE LIKE? ANY MORNING RITUALS?
I absolutely live for slow mornings. I recently set up a Keurig in my bedroom (that’s right, I don’t even have to leave my bedroom to get freshly brewed coffee), so now I get to enjoy a cup of coffee in bed while watching snow (or sleet or freezing rain or anything cold and miserable #pureMichigan) fall out the window. On a good day, I motivate myself enough to get out of bed and squeeze in a workout, but on most days, I get my heart rate up by vigorously browsing instagram and consider that my daily dose of cardio. Before I dive into the craziness of the day, I like to take a little time to focus on taking care of myself, and for me, that’s sitting down at my vanity and having some fun with my makeup while an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” plays in the background.
WHAT DOES YOUR IDEAL DAY LOOK LIKE, FROM START TO FINISH?
An ideal day starts with a workout, shower, and big cup of coffee in my favorite fox mug. Then I would do my makeup and head out the door to eat a heaping plate of pancakes from my favorite breakfast place. The afternoon would consist of teaching dance classes, hanging out with friends, and laughing -- lots of laughing. I would spend my evening hanging out with my boyfriend, sipping tea, watching Netflix, and reading.
SO HOW DID THE PRINCESS JOB START? WHAT'S YOUR FUNNIEST STORY YOU HAVE FROM BEING A PRINCESS?
Growing up in Southern California, I went to Disneyland a number of times as a child. I vividly remember running up to princesses and being filled with wonder and pure, unadulterated joy. I think every child should have the opportunity to experience that moment when the impossible becomes possible. For me, that’s the foundation of Neverland Princess Company of Michigan: to sustain each child’s imagination and sense of wonder. Not to mention I get a lot of great pictures for Instagram out of it.
I once performed at a birthday party where the pinata was a very accurate representation of the princess I was performing as. I then got to watch as small screaming children took turns hitting my likeness with a stick and rejoicing as the candy insides fell out. The parents even offered to let me take a swing at the piñata, and I didn’t know whether to laugh or be horrified.
HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN FUNNY? WAS THERE A MOMENT THAT YOU JUST KNEW YOU HAD THE HUMOR?
There was a moment a few years back when a guy who I considered to be one of the funniest people I knew said to me, “You are so funny. You’re way funnier than other girls.” I was super flattered for about .5 seconds. Then I launched into a feminist rant about not tearing down the entirety of my gender in order to compliment me, but like I said, I was flattered for a hot second.
WHAT NEVER FAILS TO MAKE YOU LAUGH?
Being told to wear less makeup and upper middle-class males’ senses of entitlement. And Jimmy Fallon.
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION FROM? HOBBIES, PEOPLE, PLACES?
In general, I’m most inspired by reading poetry, particularly that of Rupi Kaur, William Carlos Williams, and Seamus Heaney. In terms of humor, I’m most inspired by women that are candid and bold with their humor such as Ali Wong and Kristen Wiig.
SO YOU ALSO WORK AT SEPHORA, TELL US ABOUT HOW THAT IS AND WHAT EXACTLY THAT ENTAILS! ANY FUNNY STORIES FROM WORKING THERE?
When you work at Sephora, you encounter a lot of interesting people and have a lot of interesting experiences. My official title is “Product Consultant,” so basically I help clients find the products they need, teach them makeup techniques, as well as perform makeovers. I think my sense of humor really helps me in my work at Sephora. Countless customers have told me that they feel insecure when they come into our store and see a bunch of women with perfectly made-up faces. In those situations, I always try to lighten the mood by cracking a joke, oftentimes something along the lines of “girl, look at me. My eyebrows aren’t twins. They’re not even sisters. They’re like second cousins twice removed whose parents hate each other.” It helps remind people that underneath the makeup, we are all just people with our own insecurities who just need to be kind to each other and not take ourselves too seriously.
ASIDE FROM BEING FUNNY, WHAT ARE THREE OTHER PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT DESCRIBE YOURSELF AND HOW SO?
Strong: I think my sense of humor and my strength go hand-in-hand. If you know me fairly well, you know that I’ve had my fair share of tough times. One of my favorite personal qualities is my strength, because there have been so many moments when it would have been easier to let my situation get the best of me. But through it all, I’ve had the strength and the support system to keep smiling and laughing through it.
Creative: Whether it be through choreographing a dance, writing a poem, or doing my makeup, I’m always trying to create something new.
Loving: I am a very loving person, and I know what it’s like to make a mistake along the way. I’m always willing to go above and beyond to show people that I love them, especially when they feel like they need a little extra grace.
WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST GOALS FOR THIS NEW YEAR? HOW WILL YOU GO ABOUT ACHIEVING THEM?
I am in the beginning steps of starting a personal blog in 2017! It is going to take a lot of time and self-discipline to get it all up and running and to stay dedicated to posting, but I am absolutely thrilled at the idea of finally getting the ball rolling on it! I also recently registered to audition for the Detroit Lions cheer team, so I will be spending these next few weeks really working hard towards being ready for that!
WHAT'S ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF?
Investing in good, loyal, female friends who build you and others up will be infinitely more rewarding than pursuing the attention of a boy. And for the love of God stop over-sharing on your facebook status. In the future, I will spend HOURS scrolling through my timeline deleting all those statuses and it’s exhausting and humiliating.
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