I’ve been meaning to write about this for a while, because it’s been bothering me. I’m involved in a lot of things on campus. Frisbee, Greek life, community service, etc. And I’m proud of EVERY activity that I am in, including Her Campus. Especially Her Campus.
When I was dealing with being far away from home, away from my family and my best friends and everything familiar, Her Campus was my outlet. It was a way that I could communicate with my mom, my friends from home, and my grandma. And it was a way that I could introduce myself to the Kenyon College community, a way that my new friends could learn more about me.
At first, I was apprehensive. The editors let us write about whatever we wanted to, and in fact, they encouraged all of our prompts and supported us with every article. I was shocked at how quickly people opened up, how willing the writers were to write about personal things such as deceased relatives, anxiety, insecurities, and many more.
I realized eventually it was because of the amazing community. I started out doing silly articles, stuff about horoscopes and music and things that would be fun to read but didn’t really reveal anything about me. And then as I found it harder to adjust to college, it came out in my writing. I wrote about my homesickness, the struggles of keeping in touch with high school friends, and personal insecurities. It was terrifying to expose myself through my writing, but I got support from my family, old friends, and most importantly, my new friends.
People stopped me on Middle Path to tell me that they appreciated my article, that my struggles were relatable, or that one of my zodiac articles gave them a good laugh.
That right there is the reason why I write for Her Campus. The fact that the writers for Her Campus Kenyon and those who read my article vocally support me is the encouragement I need to keep writing. For anyone who’s an English major, a journaler, or a blogger, you understand. Writing is therapeutic. For me, for someone who loves to help other people, I love writing when I know that it’s meaningful and purposeful. That maybe, just maybe one article that I write will touch another person or make them laugh.
So for everyone out there who thinks they know what Her Campus is like, I don’t think you really understand how beneficial it is. How many meetings we’ve had to strive to make our presence on campus empowering for those of all genders, relatable to college students, serious but also enjoyable. How diverse the team is, with those of all different ages, different backgrounds, and different writing focuses. How, despite being an incredibly small school, we have an amazing reputation amongst other campuses.
I love the community that Her Campus provides for me. We’ve had Galentine’s Day brunches, it’s where I met one of my future roommates, where I laugh if I’ve had a bad day, or be there to support someone who’s nervous to write an article that is personal for them.
As a college student at a school filled with incredible writers, and wanting to become an incredible writer myself, having the liberty to write about anything is important to me, and so rewarding. It has helped me harness my writing, focus my voice, and experience having an audience. That opportunity can be rare, and I’m so thankful for it.
Writing hurtful Yaks about Her Campus isn’t going to motivate me to quit. Witnessing people I know make fun of my writing doesn’t disappoint me or deter me. I’ve had too many positive experiences writing articles about my college experience, and watching the other writers around me blossom and gain from the experience as well, to stop writing. When I was at a place where I was adjusting and felt unsure of my decision to be at Kenyon, Her Campus played an instrumental role in letting me know that I have a place here.
Thank you to everyone who reads my articles and my fellow writers’ articles. Thank you for supporting us. I hope everyone takes the chance to read articles when they come out, and realize how scary it can be to put your writing out there, and how a “like” or a “nice job” can go a long way. Similarly, realize how a rude Yak or offhand remark about Her Campus in my presence can be incredibly hurtful.
Thank you Her Campus, for giving me such a supportive and encouraging outlet through which I could use my voice.
Image Credit: Her Campus, Lexi Bollis, Inês Forjaz de Lacerda, Ari Tooch