I knew when I was young that I wanted to write for a living. Even my third grade teacher, who I ran into last summer, said “I always knew you’d be a great writer.”
It was flattering, to say the least.
Picking journalism as my major was easy. It was something I was drawn to because I knew it would send me places and allow me to meet interesting people. And, in retrospect, even with my two short years of school, it already has! If you told me a year ago that I’d be doing band interviews and covering art events in the greater Norfolk area, I probably would’ve laughed in your face.
I wrote for our school newspaper, The Mace & Crown, for about a year before Her Campus came to ODU. Writing for the newspaper was a big enough deal already because I’m about as socially awkward as it gets. I don’t deal well with confrontation or meeting new people. Which is a damn shame considering the only way to climb up the journalism ladder is through connections. So, when I heard we were getting the magazine, I decided to further step out of my comfort zone.
I don’t generally get excited about things. I’m just not one of those people. But I love music. I get so excited about concerts. I have countdowns on my phone for concerts and album releases. It’s just one of the few things I truly enjoy. And, I love all kinds of music. My concert schedule for this summer includes Weezer, Chance the Rapper and OneRepublic. When it occurred to me that I could put my love of music and my passion for writing together into one profession it was like a moment of clarity. So I wrote about music for a year with my newspaper, but with Her Campus I really wanted to do something different.
Coming from a small town in southwest Virginia, being exposed to all of the culture in Norfolk was so different and so incredible. The art in this city is something that I have been missing out on my entire life. So, when I joined HC I decided that I was going to delve more into what makes this city what it is, the art culture that surrounds it.
HC ODU is only about three months old, but I’ve already started a semi-successful artist series that I hope to continue, and have met so many interesting people from it. So, why do I write for HC ODU? It’s just fun, would be my honest answer. I’ve met so many strong, empowering women of all different backgrounds. It’s given me an opportunity to talk about what I love. Not to mention, it looks really good on a resume.
For any girl (or guy) who doubts in their ability, or doesn’t think that HC is for them, go out and try. I guarantee you’ll have more fun, and gain more, than you think.
All images are personal photography.