In January 2015, I went through what at the time felt like the worst heartbreak I would ever endure. The first guy I had honest feelings for, who I had been with for nearly a year told me via text message that he “wasn’t really feeling being in a relationship with me anymore.” It was shocking. I was sitting in my friend, Nicole’s room when he texted me this. I asked him if I could call him, he said sure.
“Where is this coming from?” I asked him, “and is there any way we could work it out? Or can we be friends? Or do we need to slow down? What’s going on?”
He said, “Kenya, you shouldn’t be begging me to be in a relationship.” I didn’t know how to feel, but I knew he was right. This was my freshman year of college, and I had invested a majority of my first year of school into a relationship that should have never left Acworth, GA. I invested my feelings into a sub par narcissist. I was pissed off with myself, and hearing those words come out of my now ex-boyfriend’s mouth upset me in a way I needed to be upset.
After about a month of crying (that didn’t end for a full six months), I realized my ex was never going to give me another chance, and that I really needed to find something to do. In determination, sometime in February, I typed into google, “ways to get my writing published.” I came across this listicle of a lot of things that seemed pretty useless, and I didn’t want to write for. In that same listicle, however, I found this website called “Her Campus.” It sounded pretty catchy, so I clicked on it. I read through much of the content, and I decided I really enjoyed everything I read.
From the articles, to the contests, to the quirky listicles about why group projects are the worst thing professors can ever do to you, I felt like I found a relatable community full of girls who have this desire to create a community. So I hit the “apply to be a writer,” button. I wasn’t even on the HC application for that long when another button on the site caught my interest. “Start your own chapter.”
Starting things has always been my strong point. I knew that if I started a Her Campus chapter at my school, I would be able to get the members, the momentum, and all of that. My concern was that my weakest point is finishing the things that I start. Who wouldn’t want a Her Campus Chapter at their women’s college, serving opinions, news, and facts at all times, and on top of that, having all these great events? But what if I wasn’t able to finish. That’s when I decided I needed help, and I turned to my friend, Nicole. The one who was there for the break up.
We worked really hard to start the chapter up. From gathering members, to publicizing our launch parties, to fighting to meeting content requirements, all of it paid off.
Sept. 8, 2017 marked two years since Her Campus Brenau has been around, and I can’t believe how much we have accomplished as a team. We started out with six members, and now, in some amazing way, we now have 22 active members on the Her Campus Brenau team.
Nicole has gone on to graduate, and she works at the YMCA in Gainesville in a Public Relations position, where she has a desk, an office phone, and an extension. I’m a senior this year, and I am interning with Her Campus this semester, and can’t wait to receive my Pink Honor Cord. After I graduate, the newest Campus Correspondent, Charlene Hendricks, will take over the chapter and continue to do many great things for Brenau.
I’m just thankful that God removed that relationship out of my life to make room for something even bigger. Her Campus is an organization that I will always be proud of, and I can’t wait to see where the chapter goes in my absence.
And a sidenote: I have a new boyfriend. His name is Devon. I call him the First Lady of Her Campus at Brenau.