Have you ever read something that has moved you? Think back to your favorite books, news stories about an injustice, trending social media posts, quotes from famous actors, or maybe the graffitied brick walls of the alley near your house. Think about the curl of the words on your tongue when you said them aloud, think about how you carried them with you the rest of your walk home. Try to remember how strung-together letters and words made you feel, the sensations that flooded in due to the connotations of some text. It could have been joy, excitement, perhaps it was sorrow. With whatever emotions you have let move through you, it should be quite evident: words matter. In fact, they can have considerable power. Stories can inform people and language enables human beings to connect. Do you have something worth writing about? Do you have something to say?
Her Campus is a platform where you can add your voice to the conversation. It is an online magazine written by women with content primarily aimed at, but not limited to, an emerging-adult female demographic. It serves as an incredible space for journalists, creative writers, and editors to gain experience and challenge themselves. This is an accessible space YOU can utilize to write down the words that can move others. Her Campus is a platform about empowerment and is a networking tool, one that seeks to publish diverse stories with unique and varying perspectives.
EMPOWERMENT
Writing for Her Campus is an opportunity to empower those around you. You may be surprised that in doing so, or in order to do so, you also empower yourself. The stories that are published within the realm of Her Campus are truly limitless. Some may be broad, others specific. Some will cover lighter topics, while others discuss more serious issues – regardless, most stories are relatable in some aspect to the experiences of other people. They serve as reminders that we are not alone.
If you have a passion for writing and thoughts you want to shape into action, write about it. Talk about your interests, concerns and hopes. Write about topics covering issues that have impacted you or someone you know. Give some advice that you wish you would have received earlier in life. You can write about the trends or attempt to be a trendsetter. You have the liberty to tell stories about fashion, college life, horoscopes, relationships, health trends, politics – really, truly anything. Maybe you feel the desire to dig into a more personal issue that brings about feelings of shame, stress, or guilt. Ask yourself why, put down the words that feel right, and question what you know. In doing so, you may very well be on the track to empower yourself.
DIVERSITY
This publication values the essential need for diversity. Her Campus wants to publish more stories about issues and perspectives that are as diverse as the student body it represents. Our material does not cater to the issues of a single demographic – instead, stories and content are used to share knowledge, understanding, and awareness to issues that some readers may have never known existed prior to clicking on the article. Writing stories to broaden the minds of our readers and to challenge them to think differently on certain issues has the potential to connect people. Her Campus wants to celebrate inclusivity, diversity and diverse perspectives, issues and experiences that vary among cultures. It is key that published work expands to include all readers from all backgrounds.
SAFE PLATFORM
Her Campus is a safe platform where young women can share information, contribute their voices to a conversation, or even start one among people. By joining the magazine, one can become a member of a supportive atmosphere within which all strive to see one another succeed. Participation can be used as an opportunity to branch out, to discuss your take on a story, or to strengthen your voice if you have ever felt that your input was not warranted. This is a way to break out of your shell. It is not a place of judgment, nor is it a place where one will feel ashamed. In this environment, women are not silenced.
NETWORK
Through participating within the magazine, one may find that there are immense opportunities to network and make connections, which reach beyond the surrounding community. There are more areas of personal and professional development that Her Campus provides. Along with writing, members may choose to pursue roles in photography, marketing, leadership, and community work. Conferences are held and internships are frequently sought out. There are members who have gone on to work for magazines including Vogue, People, and The Washington Post. This pursuit of passion or interest can extend into something progressive and professional. There are experiences aplenty.
HOW TO JOIN
If you would like to become a part of this empowering publication, the application process is easy. Simply follow the link below and fill out a few questions. If you are almost convinced but are holding tightly onto insecurities, sleep on it. Think about it, and if you feel anxious or apprehensive, let those emotions drive you forward into taking a chance at exploration – of yourself and others like you. This is my formal invitation to you to become a part of something bigger. Write the stories, support and be supported by a community of women who build one another up and make use of the networking opportunities that abound. At the end of the day I want to see women inspired the way I have been inspired, and I am looking for the brave writers who want to take on that challenge.
http://hercampusmnsu.wufoo.com/forms/her-campus-mnsu-1920-application/