Her Campus World meet Christina!
When I first heard of Christina, it was through one of my best friends because they are sorority sisters. Then, I found out she was the Prez, and I thought who better to feature as a Campus Cutie than a woman on the rise doing her own thing. Christina is creative, compassionate, loyal and a girl who loves Chris Evans/Captain America. Oh, and pineapple pizza if I might add {haha}. But without further ado, here’s our next Campus Cutie…
Name: Christina McKinney
Major: Interdisciplinary Studies
Classification: Senior, Class of ‘16
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
Why did you choose UTSA: After moving around my whole life, I just wasn’t ready to leave San Antonio. So I planned to stay for a year with the plan to transfer, but kind of fell in love with UTSA, and then I pledged a sorority and decided to stay.
Best Class: I would say it was an Education Writing Class, and it was teaching us the importance for students to have the ability to write. The professor would turn on music and would sometimes give us a prompt or not then we just wrote. It is actually translating in to a class I am in now about how writing can be used as a form of therapy.
Worst Class: My worst class? Ever or just now? {DB: Ever, at UTSA though} It has to be any of the history’s, politics, {or} math. Cannot do any of those. Any class that had nothing to do with my major basically.
Activities/Clubs: Alpha Sigma Alpha, President
Best Memory in your sorority: I would say it was a series of them – the fall retreats – because that’s when I fall in love with ASA all over again since we get to bond, and you can really see the deep side of ASA and through the girls stories and how we support each other and things like that.
How bittersweet is leaving your sorority: I have been in {the sorority} for 4 years, and I’ve done just everything like been President and all that stuff but I’m ready to move on and be an alum. And I’m super excited to see the new exec board and I feel like I have prepared the chapter and am ready to pass the torch and excited to see the chapter grow.
How do you want to be remembered for in ASA:I would think leaving the chapter based on the ideals and values we were founded on and helping the chapter to get to where it is today.
What advice do you have for women on campus who want to take on leadership roles: To not be afraid because you are more than likely capable that you set your mind and heart to and it shows more courage to just go for it than to standby. I went out on limbs for these positions in my sorority and I never thought in a million years to be where I am, or even have a blog. Don’t be afraid. Life is too short.
What are you an advocate of : I’m very big on bullying because I was extremely bullied growing up and I just recently opened up about being bullied. And I am writing a paper on how writing can be a form of therapy for children who are being bullied. And if I were a teacher that would be something I would focus on and that would be the golden rule. And also feminism.
What do you love most about yourself? I like just over the past year just started to love myself, so I would say, my compassion for the world and the people in it. I feel for people when they hurt, and I think it comes from bullying, so I take it hard when people are mean to each other.
You said this is your first year that you have truly loved yourself, what made that happen: I got rid of the people that were being negative to others, and myself and didn’t show that compassion for life and appreciate the small things. And I stepped away from them, and I have live free tattooed on my side, so I was able to live free for what I chose to do, and live by my opinions and not be consumed by other people’s opinions and it was life changing.
Role Model: My mom, sweetest person I know, and I’m told I’m like her in many ways, so I learned it from someone.
What is one thing you are grateful for: My friends, I never had close friends growing up due to bullying. And I have made some of the most genuine friends and not judgmental either. My friends live out my ideals and values, and that is hard to find. Especially where you agree on things and view the life the same, so I’m very lucky to have them.
Thank you to Christina for stopping by to do the interview! Make sure to check out her social media & blog! Info below!
Blog: www.christinaavera.com
Instagram: christinaavera