Sarah Tarca

Name: Sarah Tarca
Age: 27
Occupation: Beauty Editor, Girlfriend Magazine

She's a 27 year old living life like she's still 16. Given that she gets asked ID every place she goes maybe we should all take a leaf out of her book. She squeals OMG too often, loves Karaoke, always sneezes in threes, thinks the coolest person in the world is her little sister, Lilly - mainly because she thinks Sarah is the coolest person in the world. A raving reader, neat hand writer, passionate about beauty and writing, and her Girlfriend readers who motivate her because they are inspiring, amazing, talented, and creative and this motivates her to make Girlfriend the greatest mag ever! Oh, and she is passionate about chips and cheese!

Who was your role model/s when you were a teen?
My mum and my gorgeous step-dad, Daryl. I never went through a stage where I hated my parents. I adored them. Sure, I wished they'd given me more pocket money, and let me have Tetris on my computer, but they were also the people I would go to for everything. It's because of them I am the person I am.

How did your role model/s help you?
They absolutely shaped who I am. They taught me how to make my own decisions, about karma, and to make no excuses in life. They taught me to have no regrets because everything in life is a lesson and, most importantly they made me believe I could do anything. I never thought I couldn't change the world, work in mags, or be a fire breathing trapeze artist if that's what I wanted. 'Can't' never occurred to me.

What role or influence do you think role models have?
Role models are so valuable. They inspire, give focus, and show you what you're capable of.

What were some of the issues you faced as a teen?
My parents divorced when I was 14, so my issues were very self-involved. Mum and I moved to a city away from my brothers, sisters and all my friends. It made me grow up so quickly, and be independent. It also made me realise who I was a lot sooner. I wasn't concerned with being cool, because it was always more important for me to be really well liked by everyone. So I didn't have a 'group' but I did have heaps of friends from all sorts of groups. I was concerned about what I looked like, but mostly I was concerned about getting the grades I needed to do my course. All I ever wanted was to do journalism and be a writer so I put incredible amounts of pressure on myself to get those grades. And of course boys…I was VERY concerned about boys.

How did you overcome these issues?
When you're taken out of your comfort zone you learn so much about yourself. All of a sudden I had no comforts, no friends to bounce ideas off or talk too and I had to figure it all out for myself. On the other hand I knew that I could be whoever I wanted in this new place, because no one knew me. I wasn't Sarah who played basketball for the Echoes or Sarah who was GA in the under 15s. I was just Sarah. I had to sit down and really think about what was important to me (staying close to my family, finding friends that made me feel good, getting into my course) and work towards that. As far as my appearance came - I discovered makeup! I love playing around with beauty from a young age. The things I couldn't change (my freckles, my biggish nose) I just accepted and then focussed on playing up the things I loved (my eyes, straight teeth). And boys… well, I think they are still an issue.

What do you remember most about being a teen?
After that crappy period of moving schools I remember laughing a lot. I had great friends, and family, and had a real sense of belonging to something. I was learning so much about myself and other people and I loved that. But of course I also remember thinking everything was the END OF THE WORLD. Breaking up with my boyfriend was more devastating than September 11, and if I didn't get the grades I wanted LIFE WOULD BE OVER and I would have to be relegated to a chicken farm in the country. Don't even get me started on the horror of getting a zit. That would require days, possibly months off school, in fact I'd probably need plastic surgery, it was THAT bad. Yep, I was a little dramatic. But there was also a real feeling of excitement. I couldn't wait to start living my life.

What qualities do you think you possess that has helped you succeed in your chosen field?
I think the most important thing is that I never thought I couldn't. Why couldn't I get a job in mags? Who said it was out of reach? Not me. I just did work experience, moved interstate and kept applying until I got my dream job. It never crossed my mind that I wouldn't get there.

I am also incredibly passionate. I've wanted to write since I was eleven, and I adore what I do. I think if you're passionate about something you can't help but succeed. When I talk about what I do and Girlfriend as a mag my eyes light up and my voice gets squeaky. That sort of enthusiasm is catchy (the voice, luckily, is not). I also think I'm really grounded, don't have a sense of entitlement and am happy to work really hard to get where I want.

Outside of career success, what is it that you are most proud of?
I'm proud of the relationship I have with my mum. I'm proud of the risks that I've taken in my life (moving interstate alone is just one of them) and I'm really proud of not being bitter and jaded. I've had to deal with a lot of crappy things - divorce, messy break-ups, bullies and finally the illness and then death of Daryl, but I don't feel hard done by. I don't think my hand of cards is any more crappy than anyone else's. And it's made me the person I am. I think it's all too easy to play a martyr and live your life in the negative, but that's just a waste of a good life if you ask me.

Do you undertake activities to help others/community?
I volunteer for the Look Good Feel Better charity which is a group that works with cancer patients undergoing treatments. A lot of them have lost their hair, eyebrows and the treatment has wreaked havoc on their skin. We do beauty workshops, which are fun, informative and help them to smile and feel great about themselves again.

Your advice to youths about realising their own potential...
First: Remember nothing is as bad as it seems when you're in the situation. Think about what you're learning or what experience you've gained. And secondly, don't let anyone tell you that you can't achieve your wildest dreams. Look where that attitude got me!

When it comes to how you live your life, what are the most important factors/values?
Karma is one - what you put out into the universe is what you receive back. If you live by that you only want to put goodness out in the world, because that's what you want from your own life. Second, don't take on board other people's negativity. Think of it like rotten food. If you were served rotten food you wouldn't just eat it - even if your friend gave it to you. It's the same with negativity - send it straight back to the kitchen (in this case the negative person) realising it's their problem to deal with.

Thirdly - put your ego aside. This applies to so many areas. For example, if someone is in a bad mood it's probably not about you (but your ego thinks it is) but it also applies to giving. To be a true gift you shouldn't expect anything in return, because then it's not a selfless act, it's an act of ego (you give to get praise). And lastly remember that the only person stopping you from getting what you want is yourself. If you believe you can't you won't.

Why do you think you make a good role model?
I have a sister who is seven and I always try and be the person I want her to look up to. I've also adopted the 120,000 girlfriend readers as all my little sisters too - that's a lot of sisters I have a responsibility to - so I take my role very seriously and only write about what I believe in. Plus I'm good at making people laugh and make incredible choc chip cookies. Two very important role model skills I believe.