Bachelor in Paradise bachelorette Serene Russell has explained in more detail why she's no longer teaching in the classroom and what she plans to do instead.
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But after a stint on Bachelor in Paradise's eighth season and an engagement to Brandon Jones, which resulted in the brunette beauty moving to San Diego to live with her fiance, 2023 is shaping up differently for Serene career-wise.
"I have a degree in professional media/journalism and I wanted to get back into that," Serene told her followers during a recent Q&A session via Instagram Stories, according to BachelorNation.com.
"I do miss teaching a lot, it's highly rewarding and I loved my students more than anything, they were so much fun. But I want to pursue my other passions with media. If you know me in real life, you know that's all I talk about."
Serene explained that while she's "in between" jobs, she's working in "content creation," which she thoroughly enjoys.
"I love [content creation] because it allows me to tap into my creativity," Serene shared.
"I'm shooting and editing things all by myself and doing advertising, which was a lot of my coursework in college. It's been really satisfying and fun, but I do want to get back into media in different ways."
Serene then rattled off the following list of options she'd "maybe" like to try: "I'd like to do something in news, entertainment news, magazines, or photography or something like that."
"I love all of it! I'd be lucky to do any of it at all," Serene concluded.
Back in May 2022, Serene, who started teaching at an Oklahoma elementary school in 2020, admitted that being a teacher was a "journey" she "never" expected herself to be on.
"At this time in my life, I am deciding to leave education to pursue a job in my degree field," she disclosed at the time.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW"I've always been so passionate about media/storytelling and am BEYOND excited to give that part of me a chance!"
She concluded at the time, "My school and kids will always have a special corner in my heart. The OKC kids get it. Here's to the future!"
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Following that announcement, Serene accepted a marriage proposal from Brandon on Bachelor in Paradise's eighth season last summer.
Serene and Brandon previously revealed that they'd like to get married in 2024.
Back in December, Serene shut down rumors the couple had split when people noticed the former Oklahoma-based teacher wasn't wearing her engagement ring in some of her modeling photos.
To put the speculation to rest, Serene posted a mirror selfie with Brandon on her Instagram Stories, proudly showing off her Neil Lane bling on her left ring finger.
Along with the photo, Serene wrote, "Y'all when I model, sometimes there's gonna be a shoot without my ring on, especially if it took place before the finale so before I could wear it out."
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"We do have some things in rotation," Brandon said at the time. "For now, we're just enjoying the moment and truly enjoying our engagement."
Serene said she and Brandon would be open to tying the knot where they first met.
"I think we would get married in Paradise if our families were there!" Serene shared late last year.
"It is such a special place to us and having our families there in the place where we got engaged and thought about getting married would be so special. We are definitely thinking about it!"
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Brandon previously noted that he and Serene were able to navigate things "well" when they had to hide their relationship from the public while Bachelor in Paradise was airing on ABC. He said they always manage to "lift each other up" whenever necessary.
On Bachelor in Paradise's finale, Serene told Brandon that they had a life-changing love, something more than she ever could have expected or dreamed about. She said she felt seen and understood more than ever before.
"I found my best friend, my missing puzzle piece and my soul mate," Serene shared with Brandon on the final day of filming. "I love you so much and I'm never going to take that for granted."
In reply, Brandon shared how "The Split" twist made him realize that he never wanted to spend another day of his life without her. Brandon gushed about how he loved her in every sense of the word and she's an "everlasting spark" that hit him so hard.
"I will love you until the end of time. I will love you until my last breath, and I want to start forever with you," Brandon said. "And that starts with making you my forever."
After Brandon got down on one knee and Serene said "yes," Bachelor in Paradise host Jesse Palmer joined the pair on the beach and revealed how he'd been ordained and could marry them right on the spot if they wanted to be spontaneous and seal the deal.
However, the couple chose not to get married since they both want their loved ones to attend the wedding.
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Prior to meeting on Bachelor in Paradise, Brandon finished as the runner-up on Michelle Young's The Bachelorette season in 2021, and Serene competed on Clayton Echard's season of The Bachelor last year.
Clayton eliminated Serene after his Final 4 women's hometown dates, during which Serene expressed her love for The Bachelor star.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
