Laura Gingerich Shares Everyday Adventures Through Her Own Brand

Laura Gingerich ’13, a music education graduate, works as a general music and chorus teacher at Swift Middle School in Lancaster, Pa. However, her work doesn’t end there. After the school day ends, Gingerich works on her Roam and Golightly brand where she inspires her followers regarding the pure joy that everyday life has to bring.

Gingerich serves as editor-in-chief of Roam and Golightly, which has its own blog, book, and podcast. Gingerich’s inspiration for the brand came from her travel abroad experiences.

Although Gingerich didn’t get a chance to study abroad while enrolled at Lebanon Valley College due to her course load and transfer status, she was inspired by the study abroad locations that LVC offers.

“Knowing that as a teacher I would have my summers off, I began saving as soon as I walked across that stage in May,” said Gingerich. “My first travel abroad experience was in Rome and the only word I can use effectively to describe it is ‘magical.’ I cried almost every day at how beautiful the city was, how ancient and mysterious each nook and cranny felt, and how fortunate I felt to be there taking it in.”

Gingerich wanted to have a travel blog where she could document her summer in Rome and keep in contact with her family back home. When she came back to the “real world”, she wanted to keep the adventure of life going and, more importantly, share the lifestyle with other people, so she continued to blog on Roam and Golightly.

“Life is gorgeously beautiful in those odd moments of loveliness, adventure awaits us [even on a random Wednesday] and I wanted to share that joy and zeal for living creatively and adventurously with others who crave a little inspiration in their life,” said Gingerich.

Since her trip to Rome, Gingerich’s passion for adventure and travel has taken her to see several countries, including Spain, France, Scotland, Ireland, Japan, Thailand, Iceland, and the Netherlands.

Gingerich’s name for her brand, Roam and Golightly, came from a mixture of inspiration in her life. “Roam” represents Rome, which is the first international location Gingerich visited, and Golightly comes from Gingerich’s favorite character from Capote’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”–Holly Golightly.

Gingerich wanted to expand her brand and create something physical that her followers could have, which is why she wrote her own book, “Creative Coffee Break.” The goal of her book was to have something that everyday people could read during their coffee breaks at work. The book is a 10-day challenge that prompts acts of creativity and adventure in the everyday workspace.

“The truth is, you are the true observer of your own life,” said Gingerich. “We get into these ruts because we’re often stressed and overworked and uninspired...and that’s where adventure and creativity can fix just about everything. It’s a form of self development, really. It’s a return to our childlike wonder. It’s everything we need to feel close to the world around us and appreciative of the little beauties in our life.”

To enhance the Roam and Golightly brand, Gingerich also added a playlist where she interviews others who embrace the little adventures and creativity in life.

“More than anything, I believe in our mission to encourage local adventure and everyday creativity,” said Gingerich. “Seeing this work in other people’s lives, hearing their stories about practicing it in their own working lives and how it’s sparked their imaginations and kept them happy and curious about the world around them every single day, despite how familiar they are with their area...that's what it's all about.”

In addition to her Roam and Golightly brand, Gingerich has also written travel articles for Darling Magazine and The Good Trade.

Gingerich is thankful for Lebanon Valley College’s faculty for sparking her interest in creativity and adventure. 

“LVC is near and dear to my creative life, mostly due to the fantastic faculty I crossed paths with,” said Gingerich. “I was able to dabble in the creative arts through courses and office hours and individual meetings and performances on stage. These opportunities aren’t always available to students to thrive in at other colleges, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have experienced them fully at LVC.”