Anjali Fuentes has been a writer for Her Campus since 2014. Not only has she been a valuable member of Her Campus for the past year, she’s been apart of numerous other clubs and organizations at uOttawa and in the Ottawa community. Studying Psychology and now ready to graduate, this true Girlboss sat down with us to go over some of her achievements and how her volunteer experience helped her achieve her personal and professional goals.
Her Campus: How does it feel to finally be graduating?
Anjali Fuentes: Amazing!! I feel like I’m about to get the heavy weight of school off my shoulders! I can’t wait to be done and just move on with life!
Her Campus: What are your plans after graduation?
AF: I will still be sticking around as my duties don’t end with certain organizations on campus. I will be looking for potential opportunities to work abroad, as well I’m going to try and travel a bit while I have time!
Her Campus: You’ve been heavily involved on campus and in the Ottawa community since you started at the University of Ottawa. Could you talk to us about your experiences and how it has helped you achieve your personal goals?
AF: It taught me a lot of valuable things such as networking, working with people, I have taken tons of leadership skills, organizational and managerial skills and honestly volunteering has provided me with more opportunities than I could ever imagine. I’m able to take this experience with me for the rest of my life as it has taught me real world knowledge that will be useful, such as handling events, handling problematic situations and learning how to manage my time. I felt like my immense involvement on campus has allowed me to grow more as a person and it gave me a taste of what to expect once I’m done with school.
Her Campus: You’ve been a writer for Her Campus uOttawa since 2014, can you tell our readers about your time with us?
AF: It has been wonderful! It definitely was one of my highlights of my university experience because I was able to be a writer and produce these articles that are just fun for everyone to read and because the space is very unlimited I was able to express my creativity. Her Campus uOttawa not only deals with running an online magazine but it also does tons of amazing charity work, so I’m so happy to be a part of that and bring smiles to our readers but also to the general public.
Her Campus: What are your all time favourite articles you’ve written for Her Campus uOttawa and read on our website?
AF: Most likely my first article which was about the struggles of being a 101 week guide. I still like to look back on that because not only was it my first article but it got some really amazing feedbacks as many students could relate to it. I love reading Campus Celebrities on our website, it really represents the amazing individuals on campus who are so successful in their own ways and can be an amazing example for everyone else who may want to pursue what they are doing.
Her Campus: How would you define collegiette success?
AF: Hmmm, I would say what defines collegiette success is by being unpredictable. There is always something fun and exciting in writing articles that can not only relate to you but other students, especially when they have a more humorous tone to them. That’s what students want to see and read and that’s what gets more article views.
Her Campus: Do you have a mentor?
AF: My best friend Pearline. She has been the one person to me who has really kept me sane throughout these years. Even though we’re the same age she is someone I look up to because she has made herself a great example for me to follow and she’s someone who inspires me to work harder but to also take care of myself. Sometimes with all my campus and Ottawa community involvement it does get overwhelming but she was the one person who stuck by my side through it all and really helped me overcome any obstacle I may have had to reaching my goals. So yeah, she’s my home girl!
Her Campus: Do you have a favourite quote?
AF: I have two actually, one of them is by Mahatma Ghandi which is “Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever” and the second one is by Muhammed Ali “I hated every minute of training but I told myself, don’t quit, suffer now and live the rest of your life a champion”
Her Campus: Since you arrived at the University of Ottawa, what has been your proudest moment/biggest accomplishment?
AF: Winning the “Most Dedicated and Involvement” award from the SFUO Volunteer Gala. It truly was a moment where I felt proud of myself for all the work I did throughout the year and how it didn’t go unnoticed, but also I was selected as a speaker for FedTalks uOttawa and my topic of discussion was “Hidden secrets about the world of K-pop” so it was really something that I did not expect I could have accomplished. These two moments for me mean a lot and is something I’ll be proud to carry around with me.
Her Campus: How can we keep up with your exciting life?
AF: Facebook and Instagram! I’m always posting things about events happening on or around campus so if people are looking for something to do during their free time they most definitely can look me up for my constant updates!