Hi Emily, how did you get involved with Her Campus? I originally became involved with Her Campus in my second year after seeing applications on Facebook for writing positions. I decided to take a chance and apply, and now I can’t imagine my university career without being involved in HC!
What is your role? I actually have a few roles with Her Campus! I am a Campus Correspondent for my chapter, Wilfrid Laurier, as well as a Chapter Advisor, and an Entertainment Writer for Her Campus National. All of these roles have added so much value to my life and I’m so grateful for the opportunities they’ve each given me. I love that I am able to connect with so many like-minded, talented young women and help them achieve the wonderful things they’re capable of with HC. As a Chapter Advisor, I always worry that I’m not giving the right guidance, and it can become challenging at times to balance 6 different chapters with various needs. Putting my own worries aside, I make sure that I stay on top of my responsibilities and do everything I can to fulfill my roles successfully.
Do you see any difference between chapters around the world? As a Canadian, I feel lucky to advise both US and UK chapters, as well as one in South Africa. It gives me different perspectives and I end up learning at least one new thing from them each week. Every chapter is different, no matter where they’re located, but usually it comes down to content. US chapters cover topics that are trending in their country (i.e. gun violence, Donald Trump, etc.), while UK chapters cover anything from sexist government policies, to which member of the royal family is the most fashionable. I’ve learned so much about UK politics that I didn’t know before, so I feel like it is given me knowledge that I might not have learned about otherwise.
What piece of advice would you give your younger self or our younger readers? My advice to my younger self would be to not feel so afraid of new situations and always be so unsure of myself. I used to doubt so many things that I did and convince myself that I wasn’t good enough to do certain things, that it prevented me from actually experiencing many opportunities that I now wish I had taken a chance on at the time. To younger readers, my advice would be similar. Have confidence in your abilities, find the things that you’re passionate about and pursue them, and get involved — it will seriously change your life for the better!
What do you think are the most important issue facing young women today and what can we all do about it? This is a hard question to answer without using an essay to explain my thoughts, simply because women have a multitude of issues that they endure every single day, for numerous different reasons. To put it simply, sexism and misogyny are things that I see examples of on a daily basis. As a feminist, I think it’s incredibly important to be knowledgeable about intersectional feminism — staying educated on the problems that women of all races, sizes, and backgrounds face, and keep up to date with what’s being covered in the news. As hard as it may be, I do my best to call out sexism when I see it. I write about it and I talk about things like the #MeToo movement and make sure that my voice is being heard when it matters most. I stand alongside other strong women and build them up, not down. Above all, I try my best to fight the fight that many women know all too well. To stand up for equality in a world that makes it difficult to always have it a reality.
Have you ever been to the UK – what would you like to see here? No I haven’t, but it’s been my dream for as long as I can remember to travel there! I want to see all of it really. My background is primarily English and Scottish, and I am obsessed with British pop culture and entertainment. I would love to go to London, Bath, Brighton, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland — honestly anywhere across the pond. If you could offer any suggestions for the best places to see, I’d love to hear them! I want to do some traveling after I graduate and the UK is at the top of my list.