School is back on and with it we have new writers. I’ve decided that since there has been a large surge of new faces on the Her Campus Ryerson website that I’d work with them and introduce them to the audience we have built over the past few years. Meet Justine Claire Fajardo!
Introduce yourself, your year, your school background, etc.
I’m a fourth year in the English Program, and I want to teach abroad, that’s a short-term goal. The long term is to come back and go to teachers’ college, then teach high school.
Why did you join HC Ryerson? How did you hear about it?
Last year co-editor in chief Lena Lahalih was always stressed about the lack of writers that Her Campus Ryerson had. I was always interested in the team but I never asked how I could be involved, soon after Lena and I started to spend tons of time together so she sold the idea to me. In other words Lena influenced me and inspired me with the pitch that I could write almost anything. It helps that I have a supportive family that fuels my interests in the arts.
What are your writing interests?
I’m interested in social experience and urban literatures. I also love history, I took great classes called Sex and the City and American City. I am also a big fan of fiction and non-fiction.
Is there anything you hope to gain from these experience?
I want to develop my writing skills, I like my writing but I want to improve it for this journalistic style. It is interesting to me when I see my work published and how the editing has changed the flow of the article, it has helped me a lot. My issue is mostly word choice and style and already I am learning so much in terms of switching over my styles between academic and professional.
Favourite thing so far and any improvements?
I wish I had been part of the collaboration with J Crew, I love that company and their politics and I used to work there so I am a bit biased. If we have more events like that I think the name Her Campus will be out there more, if I had not talked to Lena I would not have known about the group.
What can HC do to help better your work?
I love seeing the final product of my work, but I also want to know how the editors decided to change certain parts. It would help me a lot if there was some writing workshops that new writers could go to in terms of editing style. But, the editors are doing a great job, I just want to learn for myself.
Final thoughts?
I’m really happy to be part of the Her Campus team. I know I have only written two articles but I have learned so much more about myself as a writer and having that opportunity under the Her Campus name is a wonderful thing.
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I have known Justine for a few years now and she is a very honest and wholesome person, interviewing her was a good jumpstart back into doing profiles as she is so easy to talk to. I encourage any new writers or Her Campus readers to chat with her at any point during your time at Ryerson University, it will be like old friends.
@justine.claire – Instagram