I have never been outgoing and feel pretty content with being alone. I don’t go to parties and I’m not interested in Greek life. I’ve suffered from so much drama (middle school, am I right?) with large girl groups in the past that I never actively sought them out during high school. I was involved with clubs, but only joined academic clubs where the emphasis was not on the friendships. I kept a few close friends and enjoyed spending time with them, as well as by myself. I came into college not wanting to join many organizations, mainly so I could get a feel of the course load, but also because I felt like I didn’t want to involve myself in big groups. The summer before my freshman year, however, the Her Campus George Mason writer application (go ahead, click it!) caught my attention, and the chance to write the articles I had been reading for a few years seemed like the perfect balance of resume building and a fun ~lifestyle~.
I applied and got accepted, and that in itself was a great morale booster. I knew that the George Mason chapter would be filled with hard-working girls, but I didn’t know how diverse and strong they would be, and how serious of an impact they would have. I thought I’d write articles and meet them for activities, but I was not expecting that the mere presence of my #GirlGang would help me through hard days.
The girls I met are astoundingly strong and resilient. We have a few who are miraculously working and attending school full-time, one who is beautifully balancing marriage and school, one who is a loving guardian of a young boy and that’s just a fraction of their busy (yet interesting) lives. Whenever I doubt myself, I find myself thinking about the incredible things our girls are wonderfully managing and I become instantly empowered. In our #GirlGang, there is no room for self-doubt because our stories inspire and motivate each other.
You might not think you need a #GirlGang to confide in, hang out with, or just be a part of, but I would say as a proud homebody that being involved with a group of resilient, powerful girls is the motivation you need in college, the time in your life you need to believe in yourself and your goals. And there is nothing more inspiring and empowering than a group of strong, unified and uplifting women.