Name: Joline DesruisseauxAge: 19Year: juniorMajor: history and criminology with a minor in FrenchHometown: Kissimmee, FL
Her Campus: What is your position on campus?Joline Desruisseaux: “I’m president of the French club.”
HC: How did you get involved with the French club?JD: “ I got involved freshman year. I was coming from a Haitian background and I really liked the French language, so I went to the first general body meeting and just built up from there. I was first the social chair, and then I decided to for vice president. The president decided to go abroad to Paris this year so now I’m the president.”
HC: What is your favorite part of being in the club?JD: “My favorite part is being able to meet so many new people. A lot of people inbox me that I don’t know, and a lot of international students come to me for information about French club. I love being that go-to person to provide information to others because I like meeting new people.”
HC: And the biggest challenge?JD: “The biggest challenge is the same thing! A lot of people come to me and I get stressed out a lot. I think that a lot of people are afraid to make decisions without my okay. Every position has their own turf, but they always want to check with me first, so I get like a million text messages a day.”
HC: What other things are you involved in on campus?JD: “I’m trying to get involved with the Navigators because I heard about them and recently applied. I’m also involved with Phi Alpha Delta, which is a pre-law fraternity, and I’m joining Salsa Club because I need a de-stressor.”
HC: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?JD: “Hopefully with a stable job in the law field, maybe abroad, with a small family.”
HC: What is your dream job?JD: “Some type of international law where I’m able to use all my interests: policy, law, history.”
HC: What are your hobbies?JD: “I play tennis and I’m about that Netflix life. I like to sing and dance.”
HC: Who is your role model?JD: “My role model is my mom. I’m a first-generation student here, and my mom is so hard-working. Both my parents are from Haiti, and my mom carried my family on her back. I have six siblings in my family, and my mom is just so inspiring.”
HC: What advice would you give to new students?JD: “No. 1: Go to class. It’s not a joke; at the end of the semester things start getting real and you realize you have to go to those lectures. Also just get involved because my first semester here was so lonely and I went through a lot of things. The professor of one of my history classes passed away and it was just a really dark time when I wasn’t near my family. Put yourself around friends, even though you don’t know them that well and they aren’t your high school friends. Meeting people in new clubs that have the same interests is the best thing to do.”
HC: What is your favorite memory at UF so far?JD: “When I was studying abroad in Paris, I went out with some friends and we were just sitting on this river called the Seine. That vision of just sitting and looking at the architecture of Paris was really eye-opening for me, like ‘this is life.’ I think every student needs to study abroad so that they can have a ‘this is life’ moment and realize the world is bigger than just them.”