As a freshman — which feels like forever ago now — I joined Her Campus on a whim as a way to keep writing. At the first meeting, I met Kate, my twin flame and my best friend. We used to joke and dream about becoming president and editor in chief our senior year, so to end the year as that is truly a dream come true.
This club, all of you, have given me something greater than myself. It’s given me community, friendship, confidence, but most of all, it’s given me a sisterhood that I always hoped to experience. As someone who never got to experience having a group of girlfriends growing up, finding my community and girlhood with all of you is something I hold near to my heart. Some of my favorite memories come from our meetings and events — collage night, friendsgiving, and banquets. These are the moments I’ll look back on in the future when I reminisce on my college days.
Without Her Campus, I wouldn’t have learned that I am capable of being valued, respected, and loved by a group of strangers that ended up being some of the best people I know. I also would not have gained the professional skills I need to succeed in my career, nor would I know where my strengths lie. Her Campus taught me that I enjoy being in leadership roles, something the 18-year-old version of myself who was too afraid to speak up would be shocked at.
To Lanaya, thank you for believing in me, and encouraging me to believe in myself. You took a chance on a bright-eyed, 18-year-old me, and motivated me to apply to be an editor. It was you who set me on this path, and I am truly so grateful. My experiences at Her Campus would not have been the same without your love and support.
To Sydney, thank you for being my editor-in-chief and letting me work with you. Although short, you taught me so much of what it means to be a leader, especially for a club such as this. Thank you for always answering my incessant stream of questions, and for being such an amazing mentor.
To Arly and Sidra, thank you for being my co-editor-in-chiefs. I would’ve been lost without your support and help. Our newsletter would not have been the one I’ve come to love and look forward to every Sunday without your personal touches.
To my editing team — Brooke, Hope, Paige, Sidra, Amanda, Rue, Chloe, Phoebe, Liv, and Gaby — thank you for trusting me and for being amazing editors. This club would be nothing without your time, dedication, and passion for writing.
To my senior exec team — Adamari, Kate, Keeley, and Sidra — thank you for all the laughs and support this semester. It’s been so much fun working with all of you, and I’m going to miss this team so much.
To the next senior exec team — Maddie, Lachlan, Sidra, Amanda, and Ashley — I can’t think of anyone better to lead this club and I’m so excited to watch each of you step into the shoes we leave for you as our Her Campus ancestors did for us. I know you all are going to absolutely kill it.
To Kate, thank you for being an amazing friend, roommate, and president. I’m so grateful that Her Campus brought us together — I could never talk about my college experiences without talking about you.
And finally, to all of you in this club, thank you for showing me what girlhood truly means. I am inspired by you every single day and I’m so lucky that I get to know such a talented, kind, strong, intelligent, resilient, amazing group of women such as you — you all have taught me so much about what it means to be a girl’s girl. I’m so grateful to have each of you in my life. Although I may no longer be an everyday presence, please know that I will be stalking you each and every day as your biggest cheerleader. I can’t wait to see the amazing things each of you accomplishes in your college career and beyond.
It’s been such an honor to serve as your editor-in-chief this past year. Thank you all for giving me this opportunity, a place to be myself, and to write and be heard. Most of all, thank you for your passion — this club, my experiences here, would be nothing without any of you. I love you guys, thank you for an amazing 3 and half years.
For those of you who want to keep up with me, find me on substack.