By Kelly Skjerven and Daelle Shannon
So how long have you been writing for Her Campus? What interested you in the publication?
D: This is my first year, so I’ve been a writer since September. What interested me initially was getting a platform for my writing and meeting new people, and so far it’s met all my expectations!
K: I’ve been writing for Her Campus since this Fall. I love the flexibility of being able to explore and pitch topics to my editor. We have a great team of fun and intelligent writers!
D: I especially love the freedom! We have so much structure and outlines to meet with assignments that it’s great to take a break and write whatever you want.
If there’s any advice you could give your first year self what would it be?
D: I definitely have more tattoos than when I started haha, if I had to give myself advice though it would be to trust myself more. Those gut feelings you’re having are real; don’t ignore them. Also, cut out the people that don’t put effort into you. That girl you call your best friend, isn’t your best friend if you’re the one that always makes plans and she blows you off.
K: My first year was a bit wild because it was the first year I was on my own in the big city. I’ve always been an independent person so it was something I was definitely excited for. If I could go back and give myself advice it would be not to rush into things – whether that be an extracurricular activity or a relationship. Life may be short, but take the time to enjoy the moment and not rush into anything you may have doubts about. That being said, I have absolutely no regrets from first year and I believe I’ve grown up so much since then. Also, you’re not in high school anymore so don’t force yourself to hang out with people who may have different viewpoints than you.
So we both have tattoos. Are there any reasons behind them?
K: I have a tattoo on my left ankle of a prairie lily and wheat sheaf. I got it this summer when I was moving back to Ontario. To me it resembles home, as the lily is Saskatchewan’s provincial flower. Daelle, your tattoos are so unique I really like them!
D: I love yours, it’s so gorgeous! I have three. My first one is a book with the Deathly Hallows symbol. I picked that because of my love of reading. My second one was a spontaneous one! I literally up and decided to get it one day, and I had the money so I went for it! It’s the night court symbol (a geometric mountain and night sky) from my favorite book, A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. And then my latest tattoo was done this past summer by Curt Montgomery. It’s two people having sex inside a heart. I guess that kind of speaks for itself!
How would you describe your personality?
K: I would say I’m somewhere between an introvert and extrovert. I am very a very social person and love hanging out with others, but at the same time I have no problem spending my Friday night alone bundled up in bed watching a movie, reading, or writing! I am quiet and shy when I first meet people but after that I feel like I break out of my shell and probably talk too much.
D: I feel like I’d be lying if I said anything other than LOUD. That’s definitely what all my friends have said when I asked them the first thing they noticed about me. I’m also a fair mix of extrovert and introvert. I love to make people laugh and I’m very social, but some days I just like to be by myself and watch YouTube videos. I’m slightly disorganized; I live my life in an organized chaos.
What is your favourite thing about your program?
K: My program is very hands on. It made me nervous when it was only my second week of university and our instructors were sending us out to the street to ask strangers a series of questions and then for their personal information afterwards. I am glad I am apart of a program that values real-world experience over time spent in the classroom. There are only about 100 students in Journalism so we’re all pretty close with each other and support one another and the work we put into the program.
D: I also love the intimacy that my program offers! That’s definitely a reason for why I picked Ryerson in the first place. What definitely makes my program stand out are the professors; they’re all very kind and well versed in their fields and I’ve loved all the materials we’ve read so far! Oh that’s another thing, I basically get to read my way to a BA, and I love reading, so it’s great that I constantly get to do what I love.
What was your favourite job?
D: Hands down Lush. I loved working for the Niagara Falls Public Library and Sweet Jesus, but the fact that I get to smell yummy bath bombs all day, makes it the best job I’ve had by far!
K: I just recently started serving at the Works Gourmet Burger Bistro and I absolutely love it! I’ve been serving for about a year now and I love being able to go to work and chat with customers. As were located in the St. Lawrence market we get a lot of tourists, it’s so exciting to meet people from all over the world and talk to them about their time in Canada – disclaimer, they say it’s cold.
Daelle, what’s your favourite Lush bath bomb?
D: Oh, that’s a tough one. I’d have to say Intergalactic. It smells like peppermint and 80’s aftershave, and it turns your bathwater into a gorgeous, shimmery kaleidoscope of the night sky. Plus there’s Pop Rocks in it!
Kelly, what’s your favourite burger from the Works?
K: I’m seriously so basic and I hope my managers don’t see this because they’ve been urging me to try more unique burgers although I am an extremely picky eater. My favourite burger on our menu is the Ho Hum #2. It has cheddar cheese and bacon. That’s it.
What was your dream job as a child and how has it changed now?
K: When I was younger I wanted to be a pop star. I watched Canadian Idol and aspired to one day audition for the show, rehearsing with my karaoke set. Well that show was cancelled and so was my dream, although I did literally run into Ben Mulroney on Queen Street. For those of you who don’t know he was the host of the show. I guess you could say I still want to be an entertainer, after my singing dream fell through I transitioned into writing and was very interested in current events so I decided at a young age I wanted to become a journalist! I am currently halfway through my degree and the ultimate dream would to become a broadcast journalist!
D: That sounds way more realistic than what I wanted to be! I remember when I was young I really wanted to be a mermaid and a fairy, but my mom told me that wasn’t a job and I wouldn’t make any money, so those dreams were killed pretty fast. My first “actual” dream job was a librarian, or a spy. I wanted to put books away by day and fight crime at night. I kinda gave up on that idea when I realized I’d never be able to sleep. My dream job now would be an author. I’m very imaginative (if you couldn’t already tell) and I’ve always loved storytelling, so I really want to get involved in editing and publishing books, while writing on the side, once I’m finished my English degree.
Three favourite songs to dance to when no one’s looking:
D: Mr. Brightside by The Killers, The Cure by Lady Gaga, One Dance by Drake (Are you really a Ryerson student if you don’t dance to Drake?)
K: Any song by Jackson 5, Party for Two by Shania Twain, Pocketful of sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield
Three shows everyone should watch:
K: One Tree Hill, Friends, Shameless
D: Rick and Morty, Riverdale, Dear White People (and also Shameless)
This or That Speed Round!
Hometown or Toronto?
K: Toronto. Apologies to my family and friends back home.
D: Always Toronto. Screw Niagara Falls. That Ryerson student film that went around last year is the most realistic depiction you’ll get of the city.
Instagram or Twitter?
K: Instagram, I recently wrote an article about how much time I pathetically spend on it.
D: Twitter, I’m more witty than photogenic. Jk, but seriously though, my Twitter is hilarious.
Sweet Jesus or Ava’s Original Chimney’s?
K: Ava’s. It’s the cinnamon that does it for me, so warm and delicious!
D: I’m a little biased here, but Sweet Jesus/ A Red Rapture with coconut soft serve is absolute heaven.
Pizza Pizza or Blaze?
K: Blaze!
D: Blaze!
Seventeen or Teen Vogue?
K: Teen Vogue!
D: Seventeen!
Coke or Pepsi?
K: Going to get a lot of haters from this, but Pepsi.
D: Girl, you won’t be getting any hate from me. Pepsi for the win!
Oakham House or Ram in the Rye?
K: Oakham house for a date, Ram in the Rye for a hangout with friends.
D: Oakham always for me, Ram in the Rye is too loud.
SLC or RCC?
K: RCC because I am a biased journalism student and never leave this building.
D: SLC for me, especially the eighth floor. Gotta love them views.
Pitman, ILLC, O’Keefe?
K: Pitman for sure. You’re not a Ryerson student if you don’t know the term ‘pit lit’.
D: O’Keefe, hands down. You haven’t lived until you’ve snuck in an entire band for a party, had shower/face mask parties with the girls on your floor at 2 am, slept on a bunk bed desk and watched Shrek 281, 203, 738 times. #BurnDownILLC