As a freshman at Michigan State University, I came in only knowing my roommate. We went to Sparticipation, where clubs set up booths and students walk around looking for extracurriculars that might be a good fit. I was completely overwhelmed by it all, but for me to have the experience I was hoping to have, I wanted to try something new. I took some information from the Her Campus at MSU booth. At that point, I still really didn’t know what it was, but I later looked into it and realized that it might be the place for me. This was the best decision I made all year.
I joined that semester and I immediately knew it was going to change my year. I was nervous about having to meet all new people at school, but at HC, it was easy. Everyone was so friendly and the sense of community in the members is truly unmatched.
Our mentor-mentee program was a great experience for me as a scared underclassman. My mentor Phebe was always there to text, answer my questions, offer rides, and most importantly, offer friendship. She made me feel extra welcome on top of all of the other awesome members.
We have so many fun events as well. My first event was when we painted tote bags in the grass outside of Beaumont Tower. This is one of the first things I did that felt like what college was supposed to be. Having community and making friendships through meetings and all the awesome events is reason enough for anyone to consider joining.
Even the meetings are a good time. On week nights when I was bored, I found myself looking forward to our meetings because they were always fun even when there was a lot to cover. I always looked forward to seeing who our next partnership would be and what goodies I would come home with.
All of these perks considered, the main one was how it gave me a sense of purpose in an interesting way. I felt proud when I wrote articles, and even if I didn’t think they were my finest work, I felt like I was truly apart of something bigger. With all the writing involved in freshman year, getting to work on something I enjoyed kept me passionate about writing and had me practicing my skills without it being a chore.
During my first months as a freshman, I went to class, back to my dorm, to the dining hall, and back to my dorm on repeat. I think that joining HC was something that helped me get out of my shell. If I had never joined, I think leaving my dorm and getting out there would have been so much scarier than I learned it was. I spoke to people I had never met of all years and interests, and I realized it was never that deep. I learned that college held the experiences I hoped for, and that social anxiety was not reason enough to keep me from it. Anyone who is looking to make their college experience more fun and fulfilling should join Her Campus.