Smart Girl Zera is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and currently resides in Stone Mountain, Georgia where she works as a pricing analyst at Delta Vacations.
Zera went to Grambling State University where she majored in accounting and graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Sciences degree in accounting.
We sat down with Zera to discuss her trials and tribulations, mantras, strong points, and what it means to be a “smart girl” to her.
What has life taught you?
It taught me, in the aspect of career and desires. Life, in general, is teaching persistence and discipline if you will. Because no matter who comes and goes out of your life there are things that are constant. So, after you take the constant things that are always there, what do those things teach you? I think that those things teach you discipline and presentence.
What would be your advice to young girls that might be struggling right now, whether it be financially, academically, or even both?
To first identify the problem and then come up with a plan. Because those are the basis of where you need to start because then you can build off of that. So, come up with a plan that’s very specific and then come up with a timeline. Don’t come up with plans that are out of reach, come up with a timeline. Realistic goals with a specific timeline and then when you start to reach a specific goal with a timeline then you can actually see the goals happening. So, you can start to see a change and then it can motivate you to reach bigger goals.
What do you do to overcome some of life’s obstacles?
After I’m emotional about it – because at first I am emotional about it and then I sit down and come up with a plan to see how I am going to change. So, after being emotional about something you either deal with the problem and change it or go with something completely different.
What makes a ‘Smart Girl’ to you?
I think a smart girl is somebody that works hard and actually puts the effort forth to be a better person. And that doesn’t necessarily mean being book smart. So, I think working hard and going above and beyond, and being disciplined past what you can actually do makes you a smart girl.
Do you have anything else you would like anybody to know?
I think, no matter all the other things that you do, that you should do more reading in your leisure time. I think reading and reading things you wouldn’t usually read is good. Constantly reading is constantly having your mind work and going outside.
Profile
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Birthday: September 6th
Fun Facts: Has eight siblings, used to play basketball in high school.
Occupation: Pricing Analyst at Delta Vacations