The end of the spring semester is coming up and as this semester of Her Campus American University comes to a close, we had the opportunity to interview our hilarious President and graduating senior (it’s so sad to see her go) Chloe Kim and hear all about her time at AU and the lessons she has learned as she gets ready to transition into life as a young business professional.
Her Campus American University: Hello Chloe Kim, President of our very own Chapter. How does it feel to be graduating in 2 weeks?
Chloe Kim: Very scary, but exciting. These past four years have gone very fast, or well actually they’ve been going slowly and then all of the sudden you’re done. But otherwise I’m just planning to go back home for now. I have a potential job lined up but its not finalized which is also scary, everything is just scary I guess.
HCAU: Where are you from?
CK: North Jersey, in a really small town called Wanaque.
HCAU: Interesting, so other than going home, do you have any plans to travel?
CK: I really want to! I’m kind of bummed right now because I really wanted to go to Asia because I’ve never traveled alone to a new continent. But, you know money… But I’m a firm believer that it’ll work itself out, it might not be this summer but sometime this year.
HCAU: What’s the worst thing about graduating college, or as I like to call it, adult training camp?
CK:I guess for me it’s the end of childhood, well, not childhood but it’s the end of schooling since I won’t be going to grad school at the moment. It’s kind of just weird because I keep thinking about what I’m supposed to do? How do I preoccupy my time without homework?
HCAU: Yeah its crazy you get out at 5pm and you’re done.
CK: I guess just figuring out a job is the first part, I don’t mind actually applying for jobs I actually think it’s kind of fun but just onboarding… ugh.
HCAU: This just in: THE Chloe Kim thinks applying for jobs is fun.
CK: Okay but onboarding is just such a slow process and it’s so annoying that you can’t start right away even though they took such a long time to get back to you and everything just being tentative is just nerve wracking!
HCAU: So then what’s the best part about graduating?
CK: The best part I think would just be winding down my college career and all these freshman are worried about dorm rooms and dumb stuff and I just thinking that that was such a long time ago… and I guess reflecting is really cool, like, I was ABROAD last year.. It’s fun just looking back at memories and seeing not necessarily how far you’ve come but how much you’ve changed.
HCAU: What will you miss the most about being in college?
CK: I suppose the variety of your day. Because I know my parents get up, they go to work, and it never really changes day to day. It’s not like you have one class and then you have your internship and then something else like it is in college. Here you can enjoy that variety and see friends…. You have responsibilities but not a tremendous amount, like you said you’re like a quasi adult here but once you graduate, the training wheels are off.
HCAU: Okay so now shifting straight into Her Campus, what were your past roles within the organization ?
CK: So I have had a lot of different roles in my four years of HCAU… I started off as a feature writer and then I was a social media editor and after that, the business director and after I went abroad I was Vice President and then the President which is soon coming to an end.
HCAU: Which one was your favorite?
CK: Probably being President even though it was very stressful… Well not very stressful, but if things went wrong I felt like it was all on me even though we work as a team.
HCAU: So on the general topic of women and women empowerment that comes along with HCAU, what woman inspires you the most?
CK: Usually comedians come to mind. I’ve always loved Ellen Degeneres; she’s so positive and her haters are her motivators! On another note Amy Schumer, even though a lot of people hate on her I think she’s really cool. I listened to her audiobook and I learned a lot about her and I think a lot of things happened to her that people don’t know about. She’s very passionate very driven and I admire that….
Lastly Ali Wong, do you know her? I died listening to her stand up. You know the MacGyver wipe? I don’t really know much about her personally but shout out to any women that are out there breaking the glass ceiling especially since the comedy world is such a male dominated field. But I just appreciate their humor because a lot of time… It’s not like I can’t relate to men but…. It’s a different viewpoint that women can relate to and for me Asian women specifically..
HCAU: So then how do you think you inspire other people?
CK: I don’t think that happens very often but if I were to, I hope I am or at least try to be honest…. reliable, and I guess funny. I think my reactions are usually funny I tend to just speak what’s on my mind.
HCAU: Do you have a personal brand?
CK: Oh okay well for jobs at least, because that’s all I’m worried about at this point, I market myself as a storyteller first and foremost because whether it be through writing or videos or even marketing a brand; I like to tell a story in all its forms (it literally says that on my website). But yes I enjoy films, novels, things of that sort…..
HCAU: Who is your fashion Icon?
CK: Wow I feel like I should have prepared for this one… I definitely have one… honestly everyone from Denmark or abroad because here we all look like potatoes… Man I definitely have one oh come on…. Kendall Jenner I generally like what she wears….OH I like Rihanna, her style is so cool… Yeah Kendall Jenner and Rihanna you can say those two, they’re very different but whatever.
HCAU: How do you think you’ve changed since freshman year?
CK: Ohh I knew you were going to ask that.. Hmm I am… I think this has changed a lot between even freshman and sophomore year is that not necessarily that I have become more confident, but that I’ve grown more self assured somehow. And maybe this is just from going abroad, but I have a much wider view of things. It’s not so AU or DC centric and I no longer look just four years ahead but instead I’ve started mapping out my entire life. Because when you’re a freshman the future seems so distant. But through the years you can really hone into the things you like and understand the qualities you want to possess. It’s about just becoming more self assured all around I guess.
HCAU: What’s your favorite memory of AU?
CK: Well I guess… this is going to sound like a cop out but I really like just, the activities I’ve been involved with at AU because they’ve given me skills and things that I can put on my resume which is kind of ridiculous because I feel like a lot of schools people are just in clubs to be in clubs but AU it’s “WHAT CAN WE PUT ON OUR RESUME?” But things like being on WVAU and having my own show (I just finished my last radio show it was really sad) and also being with Her Campus for this long are so important. Not that I can say that ever since I was a freshman I had this dream of becoming President, but I remember showing up and thinking wow those girls are so cool I want to be like them…
HCAU: Now it’s just us, isn’t that weird? Now you’re the cool person.
CK: Well at the beginning of the semester I remember sitting in the President’s chair and thinking wow this is like weird, tables have turned. After spending so long looking up at this position it’s kind of surreal to be there actually doing it. and now it’s moving on again to the next person.
HCAU: So we usually try to throw in a couple of fun questions at the end. You are a new edition to a crayon box what color would you be and why?
CK: I would say, a Mauve or MAAH-UVE, however people say it. I really like that color, it’s the color of my room… and also, you know those books that tell you what your color is based on your birthday or something along those lines? Yeah, I read one that told me Mauve was my color and words that like related to me and I kept thinking yes! This is me, I feel that. You know it’s like soft? But still serious…. it’s pretty but it’s still out there, it’s chill.
HCAU: Something you aspire to be!
CK: Yes, I’m alot like my mom, we get angry very easily and my dad is very calm and I always aspire to be like that. Oh gosh my mom’s going to read this and freak out!
HCAU: So then to close it all off, where can we find you on Social Media?
CK: My instagram is @ChloeeKimmy and that’s all I use honestly.
*All pictures used belong to the cutie herself!*