Name: Ashley Perez
Year: Freshman
Major: Family and Child Science
Hometown: Oviedo, Fla.
Her Campus (HC): Okay, I know you’re super involved this year, so let’s start with PINK Team. What exactly is that?
Ashley Perez (AP): Each year, two reps are chosen by Victoria Secret then those two reps choose about ten girls each semester to help put on on-campus events, do giveaways around campus, help out with the PINK bus and do events with the girls that work in the store at the mall.
HC: How did you get involved?
AP: Honestly, I found the link to apply while scrolling on Twitter one day and I thought it would be fun, so I filled out the application, sent them my resume and class schedule. Later, I was contacted to go to an interview and then I got the position.
HC: I also know you applied to be a Recruitment Captain for Dance Marathon 2017. That takes a lot of courage to do as a freshman. What inspired you to do that?
AP: I heard about DM during fall rush week. Then I decided to look up videos of it and I fell in love with the organization. I unfortunately didn’t get the captain position, but I was able to help start a Team for DM with FSU Navigators, which is the student ministry I attend on campus. DM was the most amazing weekend of my life and, if you haven’t done it before, I highly recommend going next year, whether it’s volunteering or dancing!
HC: What else have you gotten involved with this year?
AP: I joined FSU Navigators, the student ministry I mentioned, and I have also gotten involved with Greek Life.
HC: Did you choose things to get involved with based on how they would relate to your major? Or are they more things you enjoy?
AP: Most are things that I enjoy such as Greek Life, the PINK team and Navs. However, Dance Marathon actually influenced me to change my major from Elementary Education to Family and Child Sciences.
HC: How do you find free time? And what do you use that free time for?
AP: Some weeks I have more free time than others, but I find free time in the little breaks between things. I use the free time for homework if I have it or just hanging out with friends. Even thirty minutes sitting on Landis between a class or for lunch can help you relax and just make the day so much better.
HC: Does it get overwhelming? How do you stay organized?
AP: It can get overwhelming if I have a lot of assignments due the same week that I have tons of meetings and events. Sometimes I find myself having to sacrifice things I want to do in order to do the things on my priority list. To stay organized, I write in my planner a lot and have different colored pens for each organization or thing. I also have a little virtual sticky note on the home screen of my laptop that I write pressing “to do” things so that, even when I open it up in class, I can see it.
HC: What’s your advice to other freshman who want to get involved, but don’t know how?
AP: If you hear about an organization or see a flyer on campus for an interest meeting, go! I know that it’ll seem scary at first because you won’t want to go there alone, but you can meet so many people that way and there will be others in the exact same boat as you. It’ll be scary, but worth it in the end. Do what you wanna do and what you are interested in—it’ll make FSU seem more like home to you.