Meet Lizzie Campanella | Model & Undergraduate student

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lizzie Campanella and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lizzie, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
My relationship with risk has definitely evolved over the course of my experience with adulthood. I have always had a relatively “Type A” personality and am a careful planner to my core- so risk-taking has been a source of anxiety for me. While I am pretty outgoing by nature, I have had a hard time pushing myself to step outside of my
comfort zone and try new things. This mindset became very limiting when I moved to Atlanta alone this past year, and was forced to face many new experiences on my own.
What completely shifted my perspective was the support of those closest to me, who told me the hard truth I had been avoiding: A lot of things are uncomfortable in life, but by rejecting everything outside of your comfort zone, you are automatically denying yourself the opportunity.
If you don’t apply for the casting that you’re nervous about, there’s a 100% chance that you won’t book it! I’ve found that 9/10 times, I end up pleasantly surprised with the outcome of the things I have forced myself to face- even when I was “shaking in my boots” from nervousness. My loved ones always remind me that without risk, there is no reward. Their belief in me has transformed into unwavering belief in myself, fueled by confidence and a desire to “outdo myself” with each of my achievements.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
A quality of mine that has fueled my journey thus far is my passion for everything that I do. When it comes to my professional/academic life, I can be an “all or nothing” type of person- I try to push myself to put forth 100% of my effort, energy, and attention. I have a deep genuine love for modeling, acting, and honestly anything creative, which motivates me to pursue these goals. In doing so, I have learned that you can (and should!) always make time for what’s important to you. It has not been easy balancing my creative projects with my job and studies- and I know that it probably never will be- but I honestly appreciate that even more. Yes, I get overwhelmed and I fear things won’t work out the right way- but they always do, and I am so excited for future opportunities to keep proving myself wrong. Those moments remind me exactly why I fell in love with creating art.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Disclaimer: I’m relatively new to the area myself, so forgive me Atlanta natives for sounding like a tourist…
I would introduce my best friend to all of the parts of the city that make me love where I live. Obviously we would start with the non-negotiables: Georgia Aquarium, Ponce City Market, and The Beltline- because they’re Atlanta staples. My absolute favorite thing about this city is that it seems like everybody is always creating something- the arts scene here is absolutely incredible. I love the Illuminarium, the Botanical Gardens, and High Art Museum because I feel like they capture the significance of art and creativity to this city.
Another Part of what sets Atlanta apart from the other cities I’ve lived in is the atmosphere and community that it offers. We would explore areas like Little Five Points, full of businesses that are locally-owned by kind, enthusiastic people who love what they do with an energy that reminds me how beautiful it is to be here.
I would also dedicate time on our itinerary to traveling a little bit outside of the city too, to experience the beautiful scenery, fun festivals and farmers markets, and more that greater Atlanta has to offer. I would ultimately just want to do everything I can to share the uniqueness and excitement of the city with her.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My grandmother, who is my best friend, my biggest supporter, and my inspiration with everything that I achieve.
I would also dedicate my success to my mother, who reminds me to be humble and give myself grace, and my best friend Melissa, who is always in my corner cheering for me through both the good and the hard times.

Instagram: @lizziecampanella

Image Credits
Lou Raimondi (@loutr44)
@ACallePhotography (Instagram)