In the past four months, Nicole Van Deinse’s life has been turned upside down in the best ways possible! She’s a new mom, she’s got a new job and she’s getting ready to move to a new state. Somehow, amid all that madness, she found time to look amazing and return to her alma mater to chat with Her Campus ODU.
Van Deinse couldn’t return to ODU without getting a burger and chili cheese fries from Perfectly Franks, which I couldn’t have been happier about! As she walked in, she stopped briefly to chat with Tarah who owns the restaurant. They spent a few minutes catching up, chatting about their kids, and laughing about the good old days of hitting up the local spots, only to end the night by opening the restaurant at 3am to fire up the grill and make themselves latenight munchies. While we mostly stuffed our faces and told each other stories, we managed to get a few questions in during our time together.
HC: What made you choose ODU?
NVD: I actually didn’t want to go to ODU. I applied to George Mason, Virginia Tech, JMU, UVA, and I had good grades but they weren’t extraordinary. So, I got into George Mason and JMU but they were too expensive and ODU was my only realistic option. I’m from Virginia Beach and I was upset that I wasn’t going away and didn’t think that I’d get real college experiences. But I always lived on campus and that made all the difference. I had friends that went away and ended up transferring back. One thing that also made a big difference was that I was close to home and could go home whenever I wanted.
HC: Were you a part of any clubs or organizations while you attended ODU?
NVD: I rushed Alpha Phi my first semester of freshman year. That gave me something that kept me on campus and involved. I served on the executive board as VP of Chapter Operations. After graduation, I advised the ODU chapter for 2 years, and later advised the Alpha Phi chapter at Towson University in Maryland for about a year. Joining a sorority was huge! It gave me a group of women and students who kept me in check.
HC: How has ODU changed since you graduated?
NVD: The library is completely different. I lived in Whitehurst freshman year, and The Village was the cool place to live. So, I lived there sophomore year and had a cat. Maintenance was super cool, I lived in The Village for two years, then moved to a big house in Colonial Place. Mojo Bones used to be called Boars Nest. But for the most part, a lot of things are still the same. The student body is still super diverse, and I’m really happy to see that despite the country’s tense political and racial climate, ODU has continued to embrace people and opinions of all types. I think that’s why the Her Campus National team pursued ODU so intensely. The vibe here really embraces our mission as a whole.
HC: What do you miss most about ODU?
NVD: I miss how there was always something going on! I miss the roommate life, and how a random Wednesday could turn into a night going out. I miss hanging out on Kaufmann during the summer, just being able to walk around and have something going on. After speaking with people who went to different schools, I realized ODU has a lot to offer and it’s really inclusive. The student body focuses on everyone being involved. ODU is good mix of fun but it’s also well rounded. I rave about ODU to people who aren’t familiar.
HC: How did you hear about and start working with HC National?
NVD: I started at ODU as Bio Pre-Med, switched to Nursing, and then Psychology. I was interested in becoming a marriage and family counselor, but honestly I was never married to any specific path. I wanted to be marriage and psych counselor. I moved to New York with my now husband and got into sales with a staffing firm, Mondo, which was the best thing that I could’ve done! Getting that sales experience launched me into my career path and gave me a set of skills to take with me. My husband’s job is taking us to Boston, so I found out about Her Campus in the job market.
HC: What is your favorite thing about working for Her Campus?
NVD: I’ve worked in a number of different professional environments. This is the first time I’ve worked with predominantly women. In my interview, I asked one of the VP’s “is it ever difficult to work with all women?” She said no and it’s true! Everyone is empowering and understands that women aren’t always given the credit they deserve, so they make it a top priority. Also, everyone has been super welcoming! There’s healthy competition, but no one is catty and we all want to the team to excel as a whole. No one is ever too busy to answer my questions. I’m new to media and advertising so I’m always asking questions. I’m at this in-between stage in life, with a new job, moving and 4-month-old son, and so many women at HC are in the same life stage and it’s so helpful. It’s nice to be in an environment with young mothers and people who you’re going to be friends with too. It’s a genuinely encouraging environment. I’m passionate about empowering young women and Her Campus has given me the opportunity to utilize my sales expertise and grow my passion. We’re all there because we have a common goal.
HC: How do you feel having Her Campus at ODU while you were here would’ve benefitted you?
NVD: Not everyone wants to join a sorority, so I think any type of alternative organization that helps women develop their personal and professional skills is beneficial. Her Campus chapters have the comradery that a sorority would have without the stigma. Girls who’ve written for HC have gone onto work with ELLE, Cosmopolitan and several other big companies. It’s an excellent community to be a part of.
HC: What advice would you give the girls in the chapter now?
NVD: I thought about that! As far as career advice, I think the best thing that anyone at ODU, or leaving college, could hear is get as comfortable with change as you possible can! This area is great to grow up in but there isn’t a ton of variety in career options. If you’re having a hard time finding a job here just move! Don’t be afraid to go where opportunities are. Even if it means moving to new city or state. My grandfather passed away a few months ago, and I remember a conversation I had with him before I moved to New York. I was telling him how nervous I was, and how I was afraid to be so far from family. He told me “Don’t be nervous, just go…go like you belong there.” So, if you’re faced with a tough decision and you’re contemplating whether or not you have what it takes to be successful, just GO FOR IT like it’s what you were always meant to do. Leave everything behind and start fresh.