What made you decide to join Her Campus at MSU? The spring semester of my sophomore year, so about two years ago, I received a mass email that said our previous editor-in-chief was looking for a co-editor. At this time, I just declared my WGS minor and was looking for ways to combine gender with my love for writing and reporting. Her Campus opened that door for me, and it was just another perk that I got to jump in with a leadership role.
What’s one of your favorite HC MSU memories? Last semester, HC MSU planned a “Her Campus Week” to coincide with MSU’s Welcome Week. Our first event was a team-bonding “welcome back” picnic at the Botanical Gardens. I’ll be honest and say that the event itself was pretty unsuccessful — only three of us showed up, including myself. But since it was only the three three of us, the “picnic” became really special. We talked about our relationship troubles and our hopes for the upcoming semester. It was a particularly challenging time for me, and I felt such incredible support. We developed an even deeper sense of closeness with one another.
Oh — and there was that one time at the Cedar Village canned food drive when we saw a human-sized raccoon walking down a flight of stairs on its hind legs. That’ll always be a hilarious memory.
What will you miss most about being in HC MSU? There’s a lot that I’ll miss about our student organization, but without a doubt, I’ll miss the girls the most. HC MSU wouldn’t be what it is without our team, and most of us have been in it together from the beginning. Each year we grow closer, and it will be so bittersweet not being able to be a part of that next year. I’ll love seeing what my predecessors do with our team, but it’ll be sad that I won’t be a direct part of it. I know we will all keep in touch — they can’t get rid of me.
What’s something you’ve learned from being our editor-in-chief? I’ve learned so much. I’ve learned a lot about team management — how to delegate responsibilities (as much as I’d like to be able to do it all) and how to hold team members accountable. I’ve always had a knack for editing, but HC MSU has given me so much practice that my editing skills have gotten really sharp. I’ve also learned a lot about productivity — how to make the most of my time and avoid procrastination.
What’s your favorite part about going to MSU? The beautiful campus and proximity to apartments, restaurants and bars definitely had my heart set on MSU from the beginning, and these things continue to be my favorite part about this university. As I spent more time here, I also really started to appreciate our journalism program and the opportunities available through networking with faculty and staff.
What advice do you have for incoming freshman at MSU? Stay true to you. There will be plenty of professors, professionals and other students who try to tell you the “right” way to meet your goals. If you don’t want to take an out-of-state internship, find something closer to home. If you don’t want to write for the State News, another publication will probably suit you better. If you’d rather stay in than go out, stay in! It might feel like you’re on a different wavelength than everyone else, but that’s OK.
What’s one thing you still want to do before you graduate? Go to all of the bars! That’s probably not the best answer, but I want to say I’ve been to all of the EL bars before I graduate. I’d also like to spend a day in downtown Lansing, because even though it’s nearby, I don’t spend as much time there as I’d like to. I haven’t lived on campus since I was a freshman, so I also keep saying I want to eat at a dining hall one last time before graduation — or at least before I move.
Where do you see yourself in five years? That’s a tough one — I’ve been trying to be really open with what the future has in store for me. But I would think that I’ll be an editor for a feminist or left-leaning online publication, probably living in New York, California, or maybe even Arizona.