Enter Sereine.

Derived from the French word for serene, Sereine evokes a sense of unclouded calm, soft light, and gentle clarity. It is a word that feels completely definable, rooted in pure serenity. It’s a shift away from the pressure of the internet and a step toward something softer, more refined, and entirely unhurried.

Curated with a nod to the effortless aesthetic of a boutique luxury hotel, you’ll find this space divided into dedicated ‘rooms.’ It’s my way of creating a distinct destination for everything I love, while giving you a quiet, beautiful place to escape to.

Thank you so much for being here, for growing with me, and for sharing in this journey.

With love,

I think I got my first digital camera when I was maybe ten or eleven years old. I don’t remember using it much, just receiving it, and feeling like it would be something I’d really enjoy using. I was always the kid who had to bring a disposable on class field trips, forced my siblings to recreate music videos or dramatic movie scenes, and, when Instagram was created, you better believe I was obnoxiously posting every little thing, multiple times a day (can we bring that back, please?).

Fast forward to almost three years ago, my sister had just given birth to her first baby, and I got the urge to start capturing memories again. We are the adults now, and I want my nephews and my future kids to be able to look back on not just special days like birthdays or Christmas, but everyday moments. Summers at the beach, the first warm day of spring at the park, the ice cream truck, and the way my nephew says “ice cream truck”. These factors, and the one where my sister told me how much she paid for her newborn's photo shoot, made me impulsively spend way too much money on a camera in June of 2023.

My nephew became my little model, taking (my version of) professional photos for every little milestone of his. I’ve watched hours of videos on my specific camera and photography in general, and while I still have so much to learn, I’m really proud of how much I’ve improved since the start.

Sometimes I think about what it would look like to pursue photography a bit more seriously. There are SO many paths you can go down, and what excites me the most is the idea of doing retail/brand photography. I’ve done a bit for my job, and I thoroughly enjoy each experience. I also just started a business that will really allow me to start gaining experience, which is exciting.

I’ve tried numerous kinda of hobbies over the past few years, and the two that have really stuck have been writing and photography. I think that’s how you know you’re meant to do something—when it's natural and easy to do.

Also, you can be good at almost anything– because practice makes perfect.

If you want to see some of my photos, I’ve slowly started posting them here 🤍 (I can not post them here because I would get decision paralysis trying to choose even my top ten favorites).

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When I looked at job descriptions, I noticed a pattern: employers wanted familiarity with certain programs, but the truth was, most entry-level candidates didn’t actually know how to use them yet. Instead of seeing that as a barrier, I saw it as an opportunity. I thought, if these tools are going to be essential anyway, why wait for someone to teach them to me?

That shift in mindset changed everything. It wasn’t about trying to be impressive—it was about not wanting to walk into my future feeling unprepared.

So I started learning.

First things first, I treated my evenings and weekends like creative playgrounds. Canva became a space where I experimented with design, not because anyone asked me to, but because I liked putting together designs that I could imagine creating one day for a brand. I’d look at the hundreds of promotional emails I’d get a week from brands I loved, and I’d try to replicate them. If I didn’t know how to, I’d learn to (thanks, YouTube and TikTok).

Second, I was the biggest fan of “trial and error”. There are so many advantages in being unknown, in having no one care. In 2018, I started a website because I wanted to strengthen my writing skills, learn about SEO, and start utilizing social media from a business standpoint. It was in no way successful—but I was. I learned everything I set out to learn, the best Pinterest practices to drive traffic to your website, connecting MailChimp to WordPress to start a newsletter—the list goes on and on.

And that’s where most of my ambition came from. I’d see things that inspired me. I’ve always had this mindset: “If it can be done, then I can do it.”

The more I learned, the more I realized how accessible skill-building actually is. You don’t need a title to open a program. You don’t need permission to try. So much of early career growth depends not on experience but on initiative—on the willingness to open the door yourself instead of waiting for someone to invite you in. Every time I picked up a new skill, it gave me a quiet confidence that I wasn’t just preparing for a job; I was preparing for myself. That feeling is something every young professional deserves to experience.

When it finally came time to apply for jobs, I expected these skills to be helpful, but I didn’t expect them to become the thing interviewers wanted to talk about. I’d had built a website to show off each skill I had, I wore it as a badge of honor. Interviewers noticed, and they were impressed. It wasn’t that I was the most qualified person in the room—far from it. But I showed ambition. I showed my determination to learn. Initiative is one of the greatest skills you can have.

The skills that make you unique often start as the things you do for fun. Too many people underestimate the value of their interests simply because they don’t come with a certificate or a formal class attached to them. But passion is often the strongest teacher. Curiosity is often the best coach.

Looking back, I think the real reason these hobbies turned into resume highlights is because they came from a place of authenticity. I wasn’t trying to check boxes or impress anyone. I was exploring the industry I wanted to join, and that made my learning deeper and more personal. Employers can feel the difference. Skills learned out of obligation feel flat. Skills learned out of curiosity carry energy, creativity, and intention. That’s the kind of learning that shows up in your work.

What I appreciate now is that this experience changed the way I see career growth altogether. It taught me that you don’t have to be an expert to start—you just have to start. Small, consistent, interest-driven learning compounds over time. Before you know it, the things you were curious about turn into your strengths. The things you learned in your free time become the things that make you stand out. The things you once considered hobbies become the foundation of your professional identity.

It also helped me walk into new roles with confidence instead of fear. I didn’t feel like I was pretending or guessing—I had already spent hours absorbing the basics. I could contribute sooner. I could think more strategically. I could ask better questions. I’d walk into an interview with ideas ready to share about what I’d do differently if I landed the role. That foundation made me not only more prepared, but more relaxed in my early career. And when you’re relaxed, you perform better. You connect better. You grow faster.

Today, when I look at my resume, the skills I’m most proud of aren’t the ones I learned formally—they’re the ones I taught myself. They remind me that my career is being built piece by piece, by me. And I’m still building. I’m always looking for new things to learn, staying in the know, and adding to my expertise.

So if you’re at the beginning of your career, or feeling stuck, or worried that you don’t have enough experience yet, I want you to hear this: you already have everything you need to start. The internet makes learning ridiculously easy. Curiosity makes it enjoyable. Consistency makes it stick. You don’t need a title to grow—you just need initiative. And every minute you spend learning something new is an investment in the future version of you.

My hobbies became the highlight of my resume, not because they were extraordinary, but because they were intentional. They showed I cared. They showed I was paying attention. They showed I was ready before anyone even asked. And that’s something anyone can replicate. Your next great skill could be the thing you decide to explore tonight just because it interests you. So follow it.

Never having been on a work trip, I was in awe of everything there was to take in at the show. A wedding dress can be made in how many different ways? The talent, creativity, and passion were evident in each design. I feel so fortunate to have been able to see this side of the fashion industry and how it operates.

When I sat in on my first fashion show, all I could think about was the endless opportunities that exist out there to be creative. These are artists that are making their designs come to life and showcasing them in front of everyone, and I want to do the same.

My photography, my writing, these things make me feel like one of the designers, and I often fall into cycles that puts them on the back burner. But when I’m watching a show, meeting Randy Fenoli and having a totally casual convo (while internally screaming), or speaking to the publisher of a magazine, I’m reminded just how important it is to engulf yourself in the things that light you up. Watching others succeed in their art ignites me. Being around inspiring people, inspires (shocker).

So here I am, reminding myself that my dreams are worth chasing, that authenticity is the bridge that will guide me to where I want to be. Not a trend, not a quick-post, work that really resonates. That makes sense to me and searches for those like-minded.

Sometimes I feel like I’m forcing myself to fit into a box. Something that makes me compromise my creativity in order for it to be understood or appreciated. I almost always feel regret when I look back at the drawing I’ve made of myself, because it doesn’t feel true. And this weekend showed me just how important it is to remain true, to put your work out there and let what’s meant to be…just be.

“My creativity doesn’t have to be good, it just needs to be true.”

Hi, I’m Colleen. Editor of Sereine.

Born and raised in New York, I’ve always been drawn to the editorial world, writing about anything and everything since I first learned how to press pen to paper.

The name itself comes from the French word for serene. To me, it evokes a very specific, rare kind of beauty—soft, yet refined.

Family is the absolute center of my world. I’m a proud aunt, and my golden retriever, Hope, lives up to her name by being pure, sun-kissed light—usually accompanying me on the long walks I love so much. I find comfort in the slow things: a good movie, quiet afternoons, and collecting the little luxuries that make the everyday feel a bit more elegant and elevated.

Curated with a nod to the effortless aesthetic of a boutique luxury hotel, you’ll find this space divided into dedicated ‘rooms.’ It’s my way of creating a distinct destination for everything I love, while giving you a quiet, beautiful place to escape to.

Sereine is your quiet corner to slip into when you need a breath. I wanted to build an elegant, low-pressure sanctuary—a break from the day-to-day rush where we can talk about absolutely everything, completely unhurried.

It is simply somewhere to stay.

With Love,