For many, a college dorm room is a place for all-nighters and microwave ramen at 2 a.m. While that may be true for Larissa May, a Vanderbilt University graduate who was a writer for her Her Campus chapter while in school, a dorm room also acted as an incubator of creativity, passion, and impact.
After sharing her journey with mental health on social media in 2015, Larissa found the unique opportunity to create the leading digital wellbeing movement for young people looking to hold healthy relationships with social media. With this idea for #HalfTheStory came a $250 college grant and, yes, a dorm room filled with possibilities.
Fast forward almost 10 years, Larissa and her youth-led team at the nonprofit #HalfTheStory are working hard to create a future where education, advocacy, and the risks associated with social media and tech use are at the forefront for future generations. Larissa has worked with state and federal governments and fortune 500 companies to create a sustainable future and culture around the ever-evolving social media industry.
In honor of Her Campus’s 15th anniversary, we’re speaking with impressive alums like Larissa to learn about how their time in college propelled them to do the incredible work they’re doing today. Read on to learn more about #HalfTheStory and Larissa’s important impact below.
Her Campus: Tell us a little more about yourself when you were in college. Where did you go to school and what did you major in?
Larissa May: I attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where I created my own major — Creative Strategy, Marketing, and Communications. I crafted this unique curriculum by combining arts, finance, and marketing classes with the guidance of some incredible adjunct professors.
Initially, I started as a Human and Organizational Development (HOD) major, but I soon realized I wanted to shift gears and build something more tailored to my interests — embracing the entrepreneurial spirit (do you notice a pattern here?!). I was spending a lot of time working on my blog, writing for outlets like Her Campus, and starting an agency. It felt like school was getting in the way, so creating my own major was a way to make it all work.
HC: What was your dream job growing up? What about when you were in college?
LM: I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur and had a slew of business cards growing up as my business pursuits evolved. I had my first business card when I was 10 years old as a mother’s helper! As a kid, I dreamed of being an actress and was heavily involved in musical theater, spending my weekends in workshops and auditions. Ultimately, I’m grateful because now I get to be myself on stage!
I’ve always had the drive to build something. In college, I started a social media agency, a blog, and a startup that never got funding. For a while, I thought I wanted to go into fashion until I realized it wasn’t as glamorous as social media made it seem — which is one of the things that drove me to start #HalfTheStory. Throughout most of college, I was traveling to New York on any break I had — I was ready to take on the world.
HC: What was your role in Her Campus at your college?
LM: I was a writer! I would write about fashion, mostly focusing on my personal style. I still have flashbacks to asking my friends to take photos of me in front of the library! I’ll never forget the time I was chosen for a competition by Josie Natori and received a free product — I vividly remember taking photos outside the library for that. It’s a memory that has really stuck with me and the perfect picture of who I was in that space and time.
HC: Do you have any specific memories from your time in Her Campus?
LM: My friends would tell you that I was always the girl in the dining hall at 6 a.m., writing either for Her Campus or my blog. I was deeply inspired by the creativity of the digital world, and it fueled so many of my passions at that time. While most college students were focused on their major or their next summer internship, I woke up every day with a different sense of purpose. Having Her Campus as a platform was empowering for me — it was one of the first opportunities that showed me I truly had a voice.
HC: Is there anything that you learned during your time with Her Campus that you still utilize in your career now?
LM: One step a day leads to a magical adventure! Her Campus was the first opportunity where I could dive into what I was passionate about. You can’t wait for anyone to give you permission to pursue your passions — you have to go for it. Having a platform like Her Campus made it feel even more real. Opportunities like that can truly propel courage, bravery, and forward momentum.
HC: What advice would you give your college self?
LM: Truthfully, I would tell myself to trust the process and enjoy the moment. So much of the time, I was focused on what life would be like after school in NYC or LA, and sometimes I wish I had stopped to smell the roses and appreciate where I was. I would also tell myself to take more advantage of what was right in front of me.
HC: What did the year after graduation look like? Did you find a job right away? What was that job?
LM: I thought I had my job all lined up after my senior summer internship, but then my mentor announced she was leaving, which was initially scary because it meant starting over. So, I decided to pave my own way, move to New York, and work for myself. My parents were terrified. I started by producing music videos, and then I met a Columbia Business School student who hired me as an intern for her startup, Otherland. Working there gave me a ground-floor view of how to build a startup, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow. Now I’m on my fourth 0-to-1 venture in the last decade — more on that soon!
HC: What did you learn from your first job out of college?
LM: How much time do you have??
I started working when I was 13 years old and felt like I was in the real world when I entered college. My first full-time job out of college was building a startup from the ground up, so most of what I learned was about what it takes to be a founder. Here are a few things I’ve learned:
- The devil is in the details.
- Find something you’re willing to work for free doing (because that’s mostly what being a founder is until you make money).
- Careers are a journey, not a destination — every decision has an opportunity cost.
- Anticipate needs, don’t wait to be told.
- Build transformational relationships, not transactional ones. Play the long game.
- Find your mentors, nurture those relationships, and hold onto them.
HC: What is your job now? Can you describe what a day-in-the-life looks like?
LM: I am the founder and CEO of #HalfTheStory, a non-profit I started out of my dorm room with a $250 college grant. Wild, right? Our mission is to create a new path forward so that young people can have a positive and healthy relationship with technology. On top of being a CEO, I’m also building a new business and have a very robust speaking career. My schedule, honestly, is not for the faint of heart — buckle up! But I LOVE IT! Yes, it’s sometimes tiring, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Here’s a glimpse of my daily routine:
- 5:00 a.m.: Wake up, coffee, and pug hugs
- 5:30-6:00 a.m.: Ease in with meditation
- 6:00-6:45 a.m.: Send team agendas, get organized for the day, and email my assistant
- 7:15-8:00 a.m.: Hot yoga or Pilates, like clockwork
- 8:00-8:30 a.m.: Shower
- 9:00 am-12:00 p.m.: Internal meetings or deep work
- 12:00-3:00 p.m.: Meetings
- 3:00-5:00 p.m.: Break or deep work
- 5:00-6:30 p.m.: Dinner and jam with my hubs
- 7:00-9:00 p.m.: Write, answer press emails, prep for talks, or get inspired
- 9:00 p.m.: Lights out (I sleep from 9 to 5!)
HC: What is your favorite thing about your current job?
LM: I always say, “Teenwork and teamwork make the dream work!” It’s truly a dream come true to have a team of talented people who can help bring your ideas to life. I’ve worked hard for it, and I pinch myself sometimes because they are some of the most talented people on the planet.
For more Dream Jobs interviews with Her Campus alums, check out Celebrating 15 Years of Her Campus here.