This week’s campus celeb is Carli Jaff, avid writer and Her Campus Correspondent at Colby. Carli discusses her writing in context of the school’s newspaper and writing center, and gives advice to aspiring writers as well.
1. Where are you from?
I’ve moved a lot, so I never really know how to answer this question! But right now, I’m from Newton, MA; it’s a town right outside of Boston (classic Colby girl).
2. What is your major?
I’m an American studies and educational studies double major.
3. What has your favorite class been at Colby? Favorite professor?
It’s too hard to pick one! The first professor that truly had an impact on me was Professor Steve Wurtzler in the cinema studies department. I took his Intro to Cinema Studies class in the fall of my freshman year, and I absolutely loved it; Steve is an incredible professor and taught me so much. Some of my other favorite classes were Intro to American Studies with Professor Lisa Arellano, and all of the education classes I’ve taken at Colby (sorry– it’s too hard to pick one!).
4. What are your study abroad plans?
This spring, I’m going to Sevilla, Spain to take liberal arts and education classes as well as teach English to elementary school students!
5. Can you tell Her Campus more about your positions in the writing center and as a writer for the Colby Echo?
I’m a writing tutor in the Farnham Writers’ Center at Colby, as well as a writing fellow. As a writing tutor, I help Colby students with their papers 6 hours a week, as well as an international student who I work with every week. I’m a writing fellow for two classes in the education department with Professor Karen Kusiak. I absolutely recommend working in the Writers’ Center to anyone who is interested!
At the Echo, I’m the Features Editor and social chair. I was the Editor-in-Chief in my high school, so I knew that I wanted to be involved with the Echo right when I got to Colby. I love writing and editing for the Echo– the editorial staff is like my family, and I have made so many fond memories that I’ll never forget.
6. Proudest moment as a writer?
I have a proudest moment as a writer per se, but I do have a favorite moment as a writing tutor: I was tutoring a freshman girl who was really struggling with a paper that she was working on. I felt so bad and as if I wasn’t helping her, and finally, I asked her one last question that I thought might help, and she grinned and started furiously typing! She turned to me after a few seconds, pointed to her brain, and said, “You helped me turn on my lightbulb!” It was by far the most rewarding moment I’ve had working as a writing tutor.
7. Fun fact about yourself?
Ummm… I’ve lived in 5 states and attended over 10 schools because I’ve moved so much!
8. Any advice to aspiring Colby writers?
Keep with it, keep the enthusiasm, and keep improving. You can never be the best writer you can be, so always learn as much as you can and try not to get frustrated!