Name: Megan McCormack
Major/Minor: Communication with a specialization in Journalism, & minors in Global Studies and English Literature
Hometown: Clifton Park, NY
HC: Congratulations on your graduation Megan! What are your plans after graduation?
MM: After graduation, I will be spending my second summer in Iowa working at an Easter Seals camp. Following this, I will be packing up my things and moving somewhere new in September!
HC: Can you tell us how writing for and working as the Senior Editor of Her Campus Marist has helped you in your career and social goals?
MM: Though I didn’t write as much once I became an editor, I always enjoyed writing for Her Campus. It helped me grow as a writer, and sort of develop an audience and realize what that audience liked and what they didn’t like so much, in a weird sort of way. It became an outlet, a form of expression, an attempt at displaying some of my first rate (awful) humor and (even worse) puns, but it also became a hobby. My time as Senior Editor gave me experience on the editing side of things, which was what I saw myself doing in the future, up until a year ago really, when I realized I only felt like writing about one thing: traveling. But now that I have experience blogging and writing for an online publication, I know what others might expect and maybe I’ll freelance write in the future, or maybe I’ll even start my own blog… who knows!
HC: What do you think you are going to miss most about Marist?
MM: My first instinct is to say James. That is, the library. I spent waaaaaaaaaay too much time there because it’s just the only place I find myself being really productive so it’s kinda become a second home. But in reality, I’m going to miss my friends and being so, so, SO incredibly close to them at all times. Even though we don’t live together, they’re literally a hop, skip, and a jump away and we see each other all the time. Nothing will ever scream “college” to me quite like a 10 PM group text along the lines of, “So… who wants ice cream?”
HC: What do you wish you could go back and tell your freshman-year-self?
MM: This kinda ties into the last one, because I’m gonna say GO TO THE RIVER MORE! (and not the library!) I was on the crew team my first two years of college, so I think I was kinda scarred by the river… being near it when it wasn’t 6 AM just felt weird, and when I went down there during the day it was just to get an erg workout in. But I wish I’d gone down more just to appreciate the little moments of serenity that the water offers. I would also tell freshman me to chill out about what other people think – 9/10 of them are extremely irrelevant in the long run – and instead I wish I had focused more on reconsidering my major, as I now wish I’d explored more classes across different disciplines before deciding to just stick with the major I came in with.
HC: What do you wish someone had told you about being a senior in college?
MM: Ha! That you are no closer to having your sh!t figured out than you were 4 years ago and if anything, you feel like a completely different person with a whole new set of ideas, perspectives, and goals… which is a good thing, but also makes things a bit confusing. Also, I hear about a lot of people “coasting” through senior year and majoring in alcohol and good times…but, alas, that is quite the opposite of how my senior year went down. I was lucky if I stayed awake past 11 P.M. most Saturday nights. I’ve had my fair share of “crazy” days but I’ve changed a lot since then…it’s natural, right? You grow up, you move on, you like your bed better than you like your beer. And I wish someone told me that was OK – that it’s OK to have zero desire to go out drinking every weekend, even though you’re a senior and you can, because I still feel like I’m doing senior year “wrong.” On the other hand, I am a grandma so this is all subjective.
HC: What was your favorite aspect of being a part of Her Campus Marist?
MM: It was the first online publication I ever wrote for and I still remember how excited I was sophomore year when my first article was published. I think my mom sent it to my whole extended family (and there’s at least 40 of us), but ever since then Her Campus has served as a way for me to portray my favorite things about Marist (and also some really weird things because, I mean, it’s college). So I guess my favorite part is being able to share something I really love – writing – with the world; putting a piece of myself on display, creating something that would be relevant even after I graduate and move on.
HC: Where do you see yourself in 10 or 20 years?
MM: Oh God. As a 31-going-on-32-year-old who still has no clue what she’s doing, except this time I might have another human’s life at stake so that’s always something to look forward to, haha. In all seriousness, I just finished a TEFL course that allows me to teach English in foreign countries (as a full-time job!) so if I end up enjoying teaching, I may go back to school for a TESOL degree. I also really enjoy working with kids and especially those with special needs, so I’d love to work or at least volunteer in that kind of environment, or a non-profit job would be cool. Really, as long as I’m in it for someone or something far greater than myself, I’m down.