I’m graduating this week.
After more than a few major changes, four and a half years have come and gone faster than I could have ever imagined. It feels like just yesterday that I quietly sobbed in my tiny twin-XL bed after my parents were finished helping me move into Degraff in the summer of 2010.
Now I’m 23 and looking forward to what the future has in store for me. It’s hard not to reflect back on my time as a student at Florida State and think about all of the amazing times I had. More importantly, I love reminiscing on all the times I felt like I was a part of something great.
Before spring semester started in 2013, I made a critical decision to change my major (and make it final this time). I went from pre-nursing, to Criminology, to English Education before finally settling on Editing, Writing, and Media. As excited as I was to begin something new, I was nervous. I was more than halfway through my college career with absolutely no experience in the field.
After leaving my advisor’s office in Williams, my mind raced as I thought about what my next steps would be. I couldn’t stop thinking about what classes I would take, what internships I would need to do; more importantly, the thought of how I would even land an internship worried me to the core. I knew making the decision to pursue a career in the media industry would be one that requires a lot of experience and networking.
It was when I was waiting for the elevator that I noticed a piece of paper pinned to the corkboard on the wall. It said, “Do you love writing?” It immediately sparked my interest. I’ve always loved writing, but was never exactly able to showcase it aside from creative writing prompts and essays in high school. The flyer was for a group called Her Campus, and it was the first time I’d heard anything about it.
I was so excited to attend the first meeting that I begged my manager at work to let me go in the middle of my scheduled shift. Once I got there in my less-than-flattering work uniform and greasy, restaurant hair, I was welcome by a group of smiling faces. There I found a group of girls my age, eager to get their feet in the water.
That began my almost two-year run with Her Campus FSU. I’m devastated to leave it behind once I graduate because I owe everything to this incredible organization. It gave me the confidence to write the way I wanted to write. It gave me a group of talented, funny, and creative women to work and collaborate with. It gave me the skills necessary to find internships and other writing positions. Most importantly, it gave me a purpose as I continued my education. Before, I felt lost and confused. Classes weren’t connecting with me. The more I studied the endocrine system, the more my head spun. Being a part of Her Campus made me feel even more connected with what I wanted to accomplish during my time at FSU.
When I first started at Her Campus FSU, we were a little group on campus that no one knew about. Now, we’re a registered student organization with a lot more to prove in coming years that’s able to bring in hundreds of people to events that we put on.
This isn’t just my endorsement for anyone thinking about whether or not they should submit an application for the fall, but it’s an endorsement for anyone hesitant to try something new. I urge you all to seize an opportunity when one comes up because you never know what you could have missed out on. It’s worth it, trust me.
To my Her Campus ladies, I’ll miss you so much. Keep writing beautifully for me!
HCxo