Have you ever seen those students who seem to be at every function? While this girl is only a rising sophomore, she has already started to make a name for herself at U of I. If you’ve ever wondered what college is like for the incredibly involved, look no further! From cheering on the floor of Assembly Hall to leading visitors around campus, Amanda Gilpin ’14 does it all and is here to answer all of Her Campus Illinois’ questions!
HC: What kind of activities are you involved in at the University of Illinois?
On campus I’m involved in several clubs that pride themselves on instilling the spirit of the Illini in University of Illinois students. Some of these clubs include Student Alumni Ambassadors, Illini Pride, and ISTAR student tour guide. With Student Alumni Ambassadors I’m part of their publicity team, and if you’re interested: apply online at http://www.uiaa.org/illinois/students/saa/! With the Illini Pride Executive Board, I help plan their social events such as barn dance, homecoming float decorating, and a member appreciation social. I’m also busy with my social sorority here on campus as the alumni relations chair. I have my plate pretty full, but I absolutely love all of these organizations and it’s worth all of my time!
HC: Even though you’ve only been in college for one year, what has been the most exciting part of it?
The most exciting part about college is being able to sleep in public. Other students don’t even care…in fact, they are just jealous that you’ve found time to catch some ZZZs! No, I’m just kidding. The most exciting part is talking to other students from all over the world and finding out what you have in common. It’s a large campus, so making friends is not a challenge. Basically, the most exciting part is just being on a campus with all students about your same age and relating to pretty much everyone on some level.
HC: Did you find it hard to get involved as a freshman?
Absolutely not! The University practically forces the students to join some club on Quad Day. If you are anti-clubs, I suggest making up a fake e-mail address because once you go to Quad Day you are bound to find something you want to dive into. And you could even take that statement literally–we have a skydiving club here on campus called the “Falling Illini!” We have over 1200 registered student organizations and I guarantee you will find one you enjoy.
HC: How did you balance schoolwork with all of your extra-curricular activities?
I definitely have to get down to work when it comes to doing homework and school projects. I tend to work best when I’m busiest, so the main challenge is just staying organized. I’m the queen of post-it notes. I put all of the assignments I need to finish on post-its all over my desk and then when I finish the assignments, I pull off the sticky note and throw it away. It is extremely satisfying to get rid of all of those post-its, let me tell you! When there are some weeks that I know I’m going to be especially busy, I just plan ahead and get my assignments done early. Since professors give you a syllabus with all the test and big project dates, it’s easy to plan ahead.
HC: What about U of I made you choose it? Was it friends, family, or a personal choice?
Do I have to choose just one? For me it was pretty much a mixture of everything. Both of my parents attended, and my brother just graduated from U of I, so the whole family tradition thing definitely came into play. I attended football tailgates and games, basketball games, events on campus and the city of Champaign-Urbana regularly growing up, so Illinois always just felt like home to me. Everyone always had so much pride for the University that I knew I had to be a part of that someday. Besides, who doesn’t look good in orange and blue? I knew it was a good move for my wardrobe.
HC: How was being a part of the Orange Krush?
Orange Krush is the most exciting part of the winter! I mean, I know that all students love the Illinois snow, but there’s nothing like being at the Assembly Hall cheering on the basketball boys during those cold fall/winter months. For girls, it’s a terrific social spot as well. I don’t know if I actually watched an entire game the whole season or if I just talked to the student next to me the whole time. But, standing on the floor when the stadium gets all riled up is like being at a rockin’ concert! One of my favorite things about the Orange Krush is the costumes the students come up with. From cows with utters to the Illini Darth Vader, I think I’ve seen it all in the student section.
HC: Is there any moment that stood out for you?
My favorite Orange Krush moment was when we went on our secret road-trip to Minnesota. I missed class (which is always fun in itself) and rode on a bus with about 100 other Illini Pride members all the way to Minneapolis. We dressed as Minnesota fans and then right before tip-off, we revealed our Illinois colors. You should’ve seen the look on the Minnesota fans sitting in front of us! It was priceless. This was also a momentous occasion for it was my 15 seconds of fame; I finally made it on ESPN!
HC: Any advice for new Collegiettes?
Go outside of your comfort zone!!! College is a time to make friends and join all sorts of clubs. Don’t be afraid to take chances! Apply to an executive position in a club or just introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you on the first day of class.