The honor and joy of having a Her Campus chapter is not lost in any of its UPRM members. On the contrary, belonging to the online magazine is an opportunity to improve our writing and editorial skills, as well as develop ideas beyond our daily lives. The responsibility that came with having an active chapter relied mostly on assisting activities and cranking out articles in order to fulfill an active presence on campus; all responsibilities our members are more than willing and ready to face. Yet between hurricanes Irma and Maria, university strikes, summer revolutions, earthquakes, and a threatened university system… the chapter began to slip between our fingers.
Before it was too late, we had to bring the UPRM chapter back to life.
Of course, this meant regrouping and having the will to go through with the process. While I wouldn’t say we’re out of the woods (in fact, we’re still very much in the middle of them), we’ve started to forge a steady path out. The world has become a scarier place by the day, and I’m certain we can’t be the only chapter that’s struggling with making it out on the other side. While I’m nowhere near certified to give success story advice, I can share the steps we’ve taken to begin out a new era as a chapter in hopes somebody sees this as a sign:
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Regroup: We began by reaching out to our existing members to see who was still active and willing to start this journey. The more people the merrier, meaning even those who aren’t extremely active (or those who technically aren’t in the chapter) can still provide a helping hand.
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Safety: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve instituted virtual meetings with new and existing members, completely cutting out the risk of physical contact. Info Sessions for new members will also be held online, and our platform will remain entirely virtual. So long as this pandemic persists, we will take every precaution to protect our members and their families.
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Assign: Roles belong to everyone who can take them. While our editing team remains roughly the same, we’ve expanded content creation and social media management/concepts to include the entirety of the chapter. Many minds think better than one.
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Produce and innovate: Silly, political, and sexual content is somehow still taboo; capitalize on it. Go for bold statements, and don’t hesitate to self-promote. Social media platforms are made to be used.
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Spread: Reach out to new people who would be interested in joining, new chapters to collaborate, and social media to promote every single blink and nod the chapter does. The key to staying alive is having an audience; here’s to hoping this article achieves just that.
For a long time, Her Campus has been a place for students of all majors to develop their skills and meet new people. While our UPRM chapter has seen some rough times, it’s now the perfect time to take back the chapter and spread this opportunity on to other students. We’re taking every opportunity and working towards making this community a better place for members and readers alike. For more information on how to join the UPRM Her Campus Chapter, feel free to contact us at hc.uprm@hercampus.com.