Upon her arrival at The Atrium in the Bone Student Center for our interview, Selena Gonzalez’s first words to me were, “You look beautiful!” For those of you who don’t know this inspiring young woman, it is my hope that you get the chance to meet her during her last couple years at Illinois State because it is women like her who can truly change your life. Her kind words like the one’s she shared with me are genuine, as she is the type of young woman who spreads love and joy wherever she goes, hoping to empower all to follow their heart in any and every situation. You’ll have to catch her on-the-go, though, because this girl is always on the move as not only a member of Sigma Lambda Gamma but also a Golden Apple scholar, a MASAI Mentor, and a previous executive board of Association of Latin American Students (A.L.A.S.)! Until then, it is my pleasure to introduce you to this week’s Campus Cutie, Selena Gonzalez!
Name: Selena Gonzalez
Age: 19 (going to be 20 on November 12th!)
Year in school: Sophomore
Hometown: Cicero, IL
Celebrity Crush: Justin Timberlake
Favorite Book: The Stranger by Albert Camus
Her Campus Illinois State: So much has changed since the last time we saw each other! Tell us a little about your experiences sophomore year thus far.
Selena Gonzalez: Sophomore year has been pretty hectic so far! This semester is pretty heavy with balancing school, work, and being an R.A. I know I got this, but it’s always back to back so it gets a little tiring!
HC ISU: What is your favorite part about being an RA?
SG: Being an R.A. is pretty fast pace, but it is so worth it. I love being around my residents. You become their first “go-to” when things go crazy or when they celebrate something important in their life. There is so much background work that we take care of as R.A.’s. There is ALWAYS something happening. You are always “on call.” It’s more than just a couple of rounds and some door decorations, but it’s all worth it.
HC ISU: Since becoming a member of Sigma Lambda Gamma, how do you feel your life has been changed? What aspects of sorority life are your favorites?
SG: This past year in SLG has made a huge impact on my life. It has pushed me to find the path that I need to be on to become a better leader than I was before. My sisters and our entity have helped me set aside the little struggles and focus on my education and future. Helping run the programs that we provide and experience the opportunities provided to us has helped us to become better as a whole. We push each other to succeed academically, creatively, and so on. SLG is an organization that’s purpose is to work towards the empowerment of ALL women, and we do that within our daily lives and that connects with me personally. Our mission resides heavily with my individual beliefs and the vision that I have for myself and my future. My favorite aspects of sorority life are the relationships I’ve gained with my sisters (undergraduates and alumni) and the experiences that come out of just being a part of it. When something does happen, to know that we did that together, that we impacted someone’s life as equally as others have impacted ours, it creates a great sense of pride and accomplishment for all of us.
HC ISU: With your incredibly busy schedule, it amazes me that you find the time to do school work and other activities! What advice do you have for people struggling with time management?
SG: Time management is SUPER crucial to college life. You have to figure out whatever way fits YOUR own schedule. There are so many ways to keep yourself on track: using your phone for reminders, having weekly schedules or daily schedules, or if you can connect your Gmail with your computer and phone. It is so important to keep yourself involved, but always give yourself enough time for your academics.
HC ISU: A girl as busy as you deserves a vacation! If you could plan the perfect getaway, what would it be?
SG: GREECE! I would love to go there with my loved ones.
HC ISU: If you could spend the day with one famous person, who would it be, why, and what would you want to do?!
SG: If I had to narrow it down, it would be Selena Quintanilla and Shurooq Amin. Selena was the inspiration of my name, and a true beauty. I feel as though she would have grown into even more of an empowering woman. Shurooq Amin, an artist from the Middle East, has inspired a lot of my own artwork which revolves around the women equality theme as well