Does the thought of being thrown into the big girl world make you want to hide under your covers? Are you worried you don’t have enough experience for your desired industry? Nineteen-year-old, Heather Henderson has not only pinpointed what she would love to do once the big girl world arrives, she’s created her own avenue to achieve it.
As I walk through the crowded halls, I hear students complaining about their boss and/or internship coordinator. Students like this find themselves in a pickle since (although some of us are late to realize this) we need experience! Internships, jobs and apprenticeships are vital to setting us apart from every other applicant for that perfect job.
Heather Henderson, the sophomore Journalism student from Clearwater, FL, has realized that and even more! With fashion being her driving force, she decided to be her own boss. Heather is the Founder and Blogger of h² fashion. Managing her full class schedule, being an active member of Kappa Kappa Gamma and two other writing internships…Heather possesses qualities worth imitating, she is a true Campus Celebrity.
Learn all about what makes this UCF student remarkable.
Sara: When did you start h² fashion?
Heather: I started my blog a little over a year ago (October 2010).
S: When did your love affair with fashion begin?
H: I started getting really interested in fashion during my junior year of high school.
S: Did someone/something have an influence on your love for fashion?
H: I don’t know if one specific person really got me interested in fashion. I just started reading tons of fashion magazines and blogs and realized that it was something that I really loved.
S: What made you want to start h² fashion?
H: Since I had been reading a lot of fashion blogs and I loved writing, I decided to start up my own blog. I also wanted to get myself into some sort of fashion journalism, so I thought that launching my own blog would be a good starting point for that.
S: Where does your inspiration for topics come from?
H: My inspiration for my topics and blog posts comes from literally everywhere. From TV shows to walking around campus to magazines to awards shows, whenever I find something I like, dislike, or find interesting, I blog about it.
S: What is your favorite blog post?
H: “Leggings Are NOT Pants.” It was written earlier in my blog and is the most read post also (almost 2,000 views). It’s not my most well written or lengthy post, but I think it’s important nonetheless. One of my biggest pet peeves is girls who wear leggings with a shirt that doesn’t cover their butt. That’s one fashion rule that I will always live by.
S: What’s a day in the life of the h² fashion blogger?
H: Blogging can be very laid back or extremely time consuming. It all depends on how much effort you’re willing to put in. I usually log on to my blog at least once a day to respond to comments and check out some of my favorite blogs that I follow. But a day can consist of forming a new post, adding pictures and links, and networking my blog on other sites.
S: What’s the hardest part of maintaining a blog?
H: The hardest part about maintaining a blog is definitely finding enough time to post frequently. With school work, sorority events, and my other writing obligations, sometimes I just don’t have to time I need to get a post up. Right now I’m aiming for a least one post a week, but it varies depending on how busy I am.
S: What has been the most rewarding moment while running h² fashion?
H: I recently just reached 200 followers for my blog, and I was really excited about that. I’m hoping to increase the traffic on my blog and I’m aiming for 500 by this time next year. I didn’t know how the blog would turn out, but I’m more than happy about the progress that I’ve made so far.
S: If you had the largest, skies-the-limit closet, what would be your perfect outfit?
H: I love anything Alice + Olivia and Diane von Furstenberg. But I’m always looking for great fashion at low prices, so I pretty much have a mini Forever 21 closet at home.
S: Who is your role model?
H: My role model/fashion inspiration is Lauren Conrad. She’s always classy and has great style.
S: Plans after graduation?
H: I really want to get an internship over the summer in New York or LA for a fashion magazine like Teen Vogue or Glamour. Then after college, I want to move to NY or CA to pursue fashion journalism.
S: Dream job?
H: My dream job would be working for Glamour magazine (or really any women’s fashion magazine), whether that be an editor, a writer, or a stylist.
S: What advice can you give someone hoping to start their own blog?
H: If you want to start a blog, then do it. The best part about running your own blog is that you have complete control over the look, content, and style. You can write as much as you want or as little as you want, and you have the freedom to write whatever you want. The beginning is the hardest and the slowest, but it’s worth it if you stick with it.
To learn more about Heather and h² fashion log on to http://www.hsquaredfashion.blogspot.com/ and follow her on Twitter at @hsquaredfashion.
So, young beauties at UCF, my advice to you is this…If you can’t find an internship that really interests you, then create your own. Challenge yourself, create your own path to learn and grow from. Just remember: there’s no time like the present – so get to interning!