By the time this article is published, I will have probably already graduated and closed the college chapter, along with the Her Campus chapter, of my life.
It is odd to think how much time has passed between now and my first Her Campus meeting, especially when I feel like that no time has passed at all. I still remember my initial invitation to join the CLU chapter from our graduating Social Media Director, Alexia Lee, just as much as I can still remember the initial apprehensions I had about joining the writing team. As a freshman student who moved from the Philippines to the U.S., I was worried that I wouldn’t have anything of value to write about. I didn’t think I could producing anything ‘engaging’ or ‘relatable’ since my experiences were quite different from many of my peers.
Still, I took a leap of faith and joined the club, and it is a decision that I will never regret. So, as my last article as an undergraduate writer, I want to reach out to anyone who is apprehensive like freshman me and talk about why you should join Her Campus (or clubs like it!) as a writer or editor. It’s also a chance for me to be thankful for the many opportunities joining this club has given me.
1. HER CAMPUS GIVES YOU A WRITING PLATFORM
Since joining Her Campus as a writer and editor, I can confidently say that I’ve grown to become a better writer as well as one who is more aware. Because I had been given a platform and an audience, I knew that my writing needed to make an impact. After weeks of brainstorming news articles, I’ve become used to thinking of my writing in terms of it either educating, entertaining, or inspiring others. Because of this, I’ve written a number of articles that related to relationships, productivity, and self-care, which everyone can apply in their lives. However, being given a platform as well as a welcoming audience (and community!) has allowed me to write about the very things I was originally apprehensive about.
Eventually, I got to write articles about my cultural identity as a Filipino in America. While it is not something that is completely ‘relatable’ or applicable to everyone, I felt supported whenever my fellow HC writers and editors engaged with what I wrote. Even a simple “I didn’t know that, but now I do” comment makes me feel like I’ve done my job; I’ve either educated, entertained, or inspired someone as a Her Campus writer.
2. HER CAMPUS GIVES YOU MORE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
I have had a couple of job and internship interviews that have asked about my involvement with Her Campus. Being the number 1 media site for college women, Her Campus may be a name that will turn possible employers’ heads. As a writer and editor for the CLU chapter, I’ve not only gained experience with content creation (something a lot of businesses want nowadays), I’ve also exercised necessary work skills like team collaboration and time management. There is so much you can add to your resume if you become more involved, especially when you take on leadership positions. I’ve often linked my Her Campus articles when people ask for writing samples from me, and that’s an opportunity I am always grateful for, especially now that I’m graduating.
I say take the advantage of the fact that Her Campus fosters a community of talented writers and editors that support one another. Take the comments of your editor to heart and polish your work to a shine. This way you can have a portfolio and your best foot forward when you enter the professional world.
3. HER CAMPUS GIVES YOU A DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE
As mentioned above, Her Campus has fostered a community of talented writers and editors who support one another. However, more importantly, Her Campus has fostered a community of writers and editors from all walks of life with varying perspectives. Just from my role as an editor, I have encountered many articles about topics I’ve never imagined myself reading about. Whether it is about finding the best spots to hit in LA, acquiring a new hobby, or bringing awareness to a cultural holiday or tradition, there is much to learn from the very people you write and go to meetings with. I am able to get a better sense of what is important and valuable to my fellow writers, and because of that, my perspective of the world broadens with each of their articles.
When reflecting on my initial apprehensions about joining Her Campus, I now know that what is ‘engaging and ‘relatable’ varies from person to person. Heck, maybe ‘relatability’ isn’t necessarily the end goal for all. Perhaps putting yourself in another’s perspective for a few paragraphs is just as important, if not more so.
Until the next article…
Nyle