Three years, seven months, and two or so days ago I submitted my first article as a Her Campus writer. The article was titled “The Do’s and Don’ts for the First Week of College as a Freshman” and was published on September 21, 2018. This is where my Her Campus and self-discovery journey began. That first article was more than advice for other freshman navigating their new life as college students, it was a way for me to cope during one of the most difficult transitions of my life. Although I would argue this piece was short, full of grammatical errors, and awful I’m glad I have it to look back on. It proves that my writing and editing skills have improved drastically. It also represents what Her Campus is for me. I’m sad to see this chapter of my book close because writing and being a campus correspondent for Her Campus has been my therapy, stress reliever, creative outlet, and more. On weekends, when I was drowning in homework, I would push it all aside and start writing an article or edit an article, brainstorm topics, and/or plan a fun activity for a meeting. And then when my head was cleared and I was ready I would jump back into my homework assignments.
One thousand three hundred nine days later, I’m writing my last Her Campus article on April 23, 2022. This is truly a “full circle” moment. I can’t believe it. I hope this article is a little easier to read and more enjoyable than my first few articles from 2018. In all honesty, I hope this is not my last article ever for HC. I’ve always wanted to work for Her Campus, especially on the editorial team. If not, I will continue writing. I always have and I always will find a platform to voice my opinion on.
Now it’s time to reflect on what Her Campus at Stonehill has done for me.
improved leadership and confidence skills
Never would I have imagined speaking in front of over 50 people, but because of HC, I did. My Co-Campus Correspondent, Erin, and I prepared not one, but two slideshow presentations, speeches, and got all dressed up to gain partial then full-time club status at Stonehill. I’m not going to lie to you and say it was easy, but it wasn’t difficult. I didn’t have to prepare too much because I was speaking from experience and I am passionate about Her Campus.
improved writing, editing, and social media skills
Prior to joining Her Campus, I thought I was a decent writer, but boy was I wrong. Writing is a form of art and there is no one right way. It is also, in my opinion, impossible to master because you can always learn and grow as a writer. As I said earlier if you were to read my HC articles from freshman year and compare them to now, there would be noticeable differences. I’ve gotten better at structuring my sentences, allowing for them to flow better. I’m still working on organization, I’m always moving paragraphs around. Although editing isn’t my strong suit or favorite thing to do, I’m glad I’ve done it. I love reading all my members’ articles because it shows how everyone has a different voice. Finally, prior to joining Her Campus I barely used social media and didn’t know most of the functions. I prefer not to post everything about my life online as others do so helping run the HC social media accounts has given me a new perspective. I’ve found a passion for creating fun graphics, drafting captions, and innovating ways to increase followers and activity.
Gained new friends and joined an empowering female community
I have met so many amazing young women not only at Stonehill but including the entire Her Campus network. Everyone I have met whether it be in person or virtually has been so kind. It reminds me that I am part of a nationwide sisterhood. I could go anywhere in the U.S. and probably find someone who was part of their college’s Her Campus chapter. Our chapters’ biweekly meetings were such a great place to talk and bond. Because of Her Campus, I always have a friend to wave to when walking around campus.
A safe and judgment-free zone
This is the first and only platform I’ve found where I feel safe and free to write and express my feelings without judgment. Writing has always been the most efficient way for me to explain my feelings and thoughts, and I’m grateful I got to share all these thoughts with Her Campus. I never in my four years thought twice about posting a controversial article topic or a vulnerable article because no one would judge. In fact, some of the pieces that I was a little timider to post have turned out to be the best ones! Her Campus articles remind me of the classroom scenario when all of the students are confused about a topic, so one brave student raises their hand to ask the teacher to explain the concept better and the other students feel a sigh of relief. Sometimes, I’m “the brave student,” who writes an article on a topic that others are wondering about and other times I sit back, waiting for someone else to provide certain advice.
reduced stress and anxiety
I always looked forward to planning and hosting our biweekly meetings because it was a distraction from my rigorous coursework. Most of our meetings started with a question of the day, for example, what was the best and worst part of your week? It helped me to get things off my chest, similar to talking it out in therapy. And I loved hearing what other people had to say it always turned into a huge group discussion with laughter involved. As I said earlier, writing articles also helped me work through issues and relieve anxiety. Further, reading my members’ amazing articles was always helpful when I was struggling. If I was feeling anxious about a big test, or the housing lottery, or overwhelmed by social media there was always a resourceful article that would put me to ease, knowing I’m not the only one experiencing a certain issue.
I really don’t want this to be my last article because Her Campus has been my safe place, but I know it’s important to move forward.
“That’s all she wrote.”
-Kelly
