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Paula Carroll, a sophomore in the School of Communications at High Point University, has never been a stranger to standing out.

Always being the tallest of her classmates, she describes herself as awkward and shy. She always tried her best to fit in by doing every extracurricular imaginable: tennis, ballet, drama club, equestrian team, among others.

“I feel like a fish out of water in most places,” Carroll said last Wednesday as we sat at a coffee shop surrounded by girls wearing pastel colors, she in all black. 

She likes being a fish out of water she said. She stands out, and how could she not: she’s 5’10 and wearing 4-inch boots. We began talking about her early days as she drank ginger and lemon tea, her favorite. 

She never felt comfortable in her own skin as a young girl. She didn’t like the idea of being skinnier and taller than the rest of the girls.

One day when she was about 9, her mother suggested she join a talent agency.

 “At first I thought, I don’t sing, act or model. So I thought it was a terrible idea.”

Then she realized that the people at the agency saw something in her that she didn’t, and she started booking photo shoots, runway shows for local stores and even got call backs for small parts on TV shows. She finally felt like she fit in somewhere.

2008 came, and so did her biggest blessing in disguise. At the age of 12, Carroll moved to Ecuador, country where half of her family is from.

Designer Book 2012
Credits: Jorge Ramirez

“At first I hated it. I was finally fitting in back home and I had to move to a country where seeing a blonde girl was rare. It was my worst nightmare.” She told me.

Although by looking at her you can’t tell, Carroll speaks Spanish, fluently. Yet, it was very difficult for her to get accustomed to this new lifestyle.

Two years passed, and she got the opportunity to audition for a national runway show. She decided to give it a shot, and since then, her confidence has only gone up. She worked her way up and is now a decently recognized name in the Ecuadorian fashion industry.

“I realized modeling was what I was born for. I never felt out of place while modeling because being different is good! Most girls in the industry want to stand out, and I didn’t even have to try.”

Carroll’s life now revolves around fashion, and she loves the attention she gets for being different.

“I want all the awkward girls out there to know that you are unique! Be proud! When you’re older and everyone looks the same, you will be happy to be the one person that looks different."