The first time I ever heard of Her Campus, I assumed from the name that it was some kind of “feminist” society – the kind that claims to be standing up for equality but ends up promoting the exact opposite. (Kind of interesting that my initial impression was automatically so dismissive, but I’ll analyse that another time…) Now, as a committee member I can assure you that this society is far from controversial. Rather it is a safe space to make new friends, raise money for charity, take part in some incredible social events, and, of course, write articles about anything and everything you can think of! We are all about diversity and welcome everyone of any gender identity who wants to get involved.
So, if we aren’t a girls-only group, why are we called “Her Campus”? Originally, HC was created by three female undergraduate students at Harvard University in 2009. They noticed that there was a gap in the media for content directed towards women studying at college, and created the online magazine entitled Her Campus to provide that content while also providing aspiring writers the chance to have their voices heard and gain journalistic experience. So, to answer the question, Her Campus gets its name from the intentions its founders originally had for the magazine before it became the huge international organisation it is today.
The HC website is split into several chapters. Aberdeen is one of several UK universities to have one, alongside many other countries such as South Africa and Japan, as well as plenty of chapters from all over the USA, where HC began. Each chapter uploads their own articles and, as you can see from a quick scroll, we write about a lot of different topics. In Aberdeen, we meet fortnightly (currently over Zoom) for writer’s meetings. There is no pressure at all to come along with an idea but if you ever fancy sharing something with us, we would love to hear it! The meetings are a great excuse for a good chat with a lovely group of people, and hearing other member’s ideas can help inspire your own.
But what if you aren’t a keen writer? Can you still get involved? Yes, of course! We are all about having fun at HCAU and there is more than enough going on to suit everyone’s interests. I am currently Social Secretary of our society (alongside the amazing Niamh) and we have some very exciting plans for the year ahead – even if Covid means some of them will be online, you better believe that won’t stop us from having a lot of fun. We have found several excuses for some parties, and for those of us that prefer a more relaxed evening we have crafts, pamper nights, and Netflix watch parties all planned and ready to go.
Another huge part of our society is our charity work. Each year we aim to fundraise for at least three different charities, focusing on a local, an international, and a women’s charity (although we welcome all genders, it is still important for us to recognise gender inequality in society – true feminism is about equality for all). We always try our best to make our fundraisers as big and as exciting as possible, so if you’re interested don’t hesitate to reach out to us on the Her Campus at Aberdeen socials – we are always looking for volunteers!
Finally, the most important (and most sentimental) answer to the question of “What is Her Campus?” is that it is a community. I am so grateful I gave this society a chance because it has become such a massive part of my university experience. I have made so many wonderful friends and found an amazing support network where we all encourage each other and celebrate our successes throughout all the ups and downs of trying to get a degree. I’ve met so many people from outside of my area of study that I may never have gotten to know otherwise, and I feel so lucky that Her Campus has given me that opportunity. Plus, it’s a great outlet to rant away or ramble excitedly about things you are passionate about, either in article form or to one of your delightful fellow members.
So, the next question is, how do you get involved? You can find us on all socials (as listed below) to find out what we are getting up to and you can contact us through any of them; our brilliant socials team will be sure to get back to you ASAP. We also have an email (hc.aberdeen@hercampus.com) that you can reach us on. We can’t wait to hear from you!
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