This semester, HCWO has had the absolute pleasure of being partnered with Her Campus Ryerson. We have had so many creative initiatives, and we have so enjoyed working with such a kind, caring leader!
Name: Lena Lahalih
Program:English
Year:3
School:Ryerson University
How did you get involved with Her Campus?
Our chapter opened when I was in my first year at university and they were recruiting writers. I wanted to try something new and so I sent an email to Benji, our previous Editor-in-Chief. Despite my lack of experience, Benji took a chance and took me under his wing. Two years later, I’m a CC & Editor-in-Chief; I’m happy to have been able to be apart of the formative part of this chapter’s journey.
What is your favourite part of working with Her Campus?
Working with Her Campus taught me a lot about myself, but also it taught me a lot about other people, particularly women. I’ve been able to learn from everyone that I’ve come in contact with; learning about people’s lives, goals, dreams, fears or aspirations has taught me how much we’re alike despite being different. Through Her Campus, I was able to surround myself with strong women—and that’s probably been the best decision I’ve made since I started.
Who do you look up to? What is it about them that inspires you?
My mama for sure! I don’t think my words could do her justice, but she really does represent what a strong woman is to me. She’s taught me to find strength in kindness, to find power in identity and difference, and find humility in keeping an open mind.
In your crystal ball, what kind of future do you see for yourself?
This answer changes yearly, if not monthly—and I feel like there’s an added pressure to make a decision quickly because people expect you to have an answer. Recently, I’ve learnt to accept that there’s nothing wrong with not having a definitive answer. Wherever I am & whatever I end up doing in life, I hope I’m happy, healthy and a source of light for other people.
What creative outlets do you have? How important are they to you?
I keep a journal on hand at all times—any thoughts, ideas, or even jokes I’ve got go in there! Last summer my grandma taught me how to cross-stitch, so I hope I’ll be able to get into it once the semester is over.
List two of your favourite comfort foods.
Any sort of pasta dish: the cheesier, the better. That’s it.
What problems do you hope our generation will fix?
I realize this question is written in the future tense, meaning that there needs to be a “benchmark” for when the actions of our generation will be taken seriously. But in reality, our generation is at the forefront of fixing tons of problems we face. I hope this generation will be the one to take active steps towards saving the environment. This sounds SO cliche, but I hope we’re able to find solutions to a lot of our world’s social and political problems without greed and hatred.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
I wish I knew how powerful it was to be unapologetically yourself when I was younger. It literally revolutionizes the way you look at yourself, the world around you, and others. I’ve found that I’m more compassionate to others when I am compassionate to myself; I am less judgmental of others when I am less judgemental of myself.