My first year of college is almost over. For my last article as a freshman, I decided to reflect on my college experience so far and my first year being a Her Campus member.
Her Campus has opened so many doors for me, and I truly believe it changed the course of my college experience.
Before I started classes at Kent State University, I researched clubs and student organizations to get involved with. I came across Her Campus, an online media platform for college girls across the country (in case you’re not familiar).
They offered an events team, a social media team and an editorial team, where our articles could be posted on the Her Campus’s website. This really piqued my interest. I knew immediately that I wanted to be part of Kent’s chapter.
During my first semester, I was part of the social media team. I got to create posts for Instagram and TikTok, highlighting current events in pop culture and promoting Her Campus. It was fun and easy, but I was curious about the other teams as well.
Some of my friends were on the editorial team, and as I read their stories, I decided I wanted to join, too. The prospect of my articles being published on a national level was so exciting. I began writing for the editorial team during my second semester.
Her Campus was also one of the main catalysts for changing my major.
When I started applying to college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in. I knew Kent was nationally recognized for its exceptional fashion program, so I decided that my major would be Fashion Merchandising.
During the first few weeks of school, I made some friends in my fashion classes. They were all so talented at designing and styling, and they were very invested in the fashion world.
While I liked fashion, it wasn’t my true calling. I was more interested in the media side of things, and my classes didn’t provide much information on that. I began to feel like I was in the wrong place.
As the semester went on, I could no longer ignore the feeling. I needed to change my major.
In my Her Campus chapter, a lot of our executive board members were communications, journalism and other media-oriented majors. As I started to learn about different career paths, I could see a future for myself in those industries.
After scrolling through Kent’s media programs, I landed on public relations. By November, I had switched my major and was scheduling for my second semester.
When classes started in the spring, I truly felt like I was where I belonged.
Through Her Campus, I have found a community of ambitious, hand-working and supportive young women, who inspired me to follow my passion. I am so excited for what my next three years with this organization have in store.
My advice to incoming freshmen is to get involved with student organizations, talk to new people and always listen to your gut. When you feel like things are falling apart, they are often just falling into place.