This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Chatham chapter.
Chatham junior and Her Campus writer Jess Turner is not only a talented musician, but a member of two local bands: Teeth Like Yours and Fun Home. No stranger to the spotlight—as she has done a few poetry readings at Chatham—Jess plays many shows in Pittsburgh at various venues, showing off her incredible talent. We’re big fans of Jess for multiple reasons, and we figured it was high time the rest of Chatham got to know this spectacular student in our midst.
Her Campus: What are you studying right now at Chatham?
Jess Turner: I am majoring in Creative Writing and minoring in Music. I am also hoping to pursue a European International Studies Certificate focusing on the French language and I am considering a self-designed minor in Food Studies.
How long have you been making music?
I have been making music since second grade, I would say.
What instruments do you play?
I play the piano, guitar, and ukulele, but piano is my favorite.
How did you end up being in two bands?
My best friends had been playing in Fun Home ever since I knew them, and last winter, when we were all hanging out one night, they just kind of looked at me and said, “You’re in the band.” Just like that, the next day we were filmed playing two songs for a video project called The Sprocket Guild. I have been so grateful to be a part of a band that I had admired for so long. I started Teeth Like Yours because I wanted to have a project where I could write and sing my own songs.
You’ve been on a couple tours. What’s that like?
Tour is such a unique experience. Typically, we tour for 3-5 days. We have been to Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Erie, Brooklyn, Grand Rapids, and a few other cities within an eight hour radius. Tour gives me the opportunity to travel to new cities and meet incredible people, but it is exhausting and sometimes expensive. I remember one instance in particular in which we were so sick of eating snack food that we all shared raw kale in the car ride and we treated it like it was a gourmet meal. Still, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
What’s your favorite thing about playing shows?
I think that music has a lot of power. Combined with writing, it can make me feel intensely alive. There are certain lines in every song I play or sing that make my eyes water every time. That’s my favorite part. The depth and the honesty of those lines coordinating with the power of music
You’re also a published writer. Where has your work been published? How does it feel to be published?
I have had a few articles published by Odyssey and I have had some poems published in The Minor Bird. Most recently I have had my poem published by the International Honors Society, Sigma Tau Delta in The Sigma Tau Delta Rectangle. Having my work published really doesn’t feel like anything else in the world. There is something so moving about seeing your words and your thoughts on paper. It’s an empowering experience to know that your voice is spreading somewhere in the world. It is also a humbling experience. I never feel more whole than when I am reading my published poetry for others.
Besides Her Campus, you’re also a member of the Odyssey writing staff. What kind of content do you write for them?
I have only just begun writing for Odyssey, so I can’t exactly pinpoint my typical topics of writing. However, I started off writing more nature-focused articles and I am always ready to write about intersectional feminism. I’m anticipating more ecofeminist articles in the future.
What are some goals you have for yourself, post-grad?
Post-grad, I really hope to move to a different state. I either want to go to the Pacific Northwest, or the Northeast. I prefer cold weather, and I think that weather can really influence emotion and intellect. I definitely plan on graduate school, but I don’t have any in mind just yet. I know that I want to be a professor, so I will pursue a doctorate.
How has Chatham changed your life?
Chatham taught me awareness and feminism. It gave me space to speak and validated me as a woman.
What do you love most about Chatham?
I love that Chatham is sacred. I don’t use that word often, but you can feel the power of so many generations of women in certain places on campus. I also love the greenery. Being surrounded by nature is so healing and the fact that Chatham rejects anthropocentrism is one of the most important qualities of the school.
SPEED ROUND:
What’s your favorite drink at Café Rachel?
Honestly, the only drink I have been buying at Cafe Rachel recently is hot water for the tea that I bring to school, but that isn’t really a fair answer. I like Cafe Caramels a lot, but I mostly prefer tea to coffee.
What’s your favorite Chatham tradition?
I’m not sure if this is a tradition exactly, but I really love the idea of having a Global Focus. My first year at Chatham, the Global Focus was Chile and I learned so much about the country as a whole. I discovered their politics, their environment, their food… I think that it’s really important to be aware of other cultures
If you could meet one female artist or musician—dead or alive, who would it be?
That’s such a difficult question. I would probably meet Angel Olsen. I listen to her discography all the time. Her writing is so honest and genuine.
If you could live in one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I would live in Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams. It takes place around the Great Salt Lake where there is art, nature, and wholeness.
All photos courtesy of Jess Turner.