Margaret (Maggie) Parkhill is a writer and publicist for our chapter here at Her Campus UWindsor, and even has a national HC article you can read here! As a valued member of the team, Maggie continues to exceed expectations each week with her wonderful and thought provoking articles. Previously a Dramatic Arts major and recently a Political Science major, specializing in Law, Maggie is on her final semester at UWindsor and is gearing up to graduate and attend grad school. As a proud feminist, Maggie is able to use her talent of literature to bring attention to different issues of pop culture that have been shunned to the shadows by society. We talked with Maggie about her writing, her plans for the future, and her advice to the peers that she’s leaving behind. Read on to learn more!
First of all, you’re an excellent writer! Have you always been interested in writing?
Thank you! I’ve always liked writing, but pretty much every academic field involves writing, so it wasn’t something I ever thought about specializing in specifically. But I’ll take a paper over an exam any day of the week. I also really love creative writing, but I really suck at it. I think I like writing because my mom got me started reading and writing really wrong. She put up sponge letters in the bathtub and make me spell things out, and when I was a bit older she got those magnetic poetry things for the fridge.
Where do you get your inspiration for your articles?
Sometimes there’s something I read in the news that I really want to write about, so I’ll just do that topic. But when I get stuck, I’ll message my friends and ask them what types of things they want to read about, or what kinds of articles they click on most. I’m also really interested in feminism and intersectional feminist issues, so I’ll often write about that. I’m also a political science major and a news junkie, so current news items really interest me too.
What would you like to do once you’ve completed grad school?
Once I’ve completed grad school, I’d love to go to law school or get a PhD. If I could be a student forever, I would! And I’d love a fancy title – Dr. Margaret Parkhill, or Justice Margaret Parkhill!
How would you describe your time here at the Universtiy of Windsor?
Being at UWindsor has been the best and hardest time of my life. I don’t make friends very easily, but I’ve made lifelong friendships here. My closest friends feel like family. I challenged myself and tried to grow as a student and as a person. And I’ve dealt with mental illness, school stress, failures, heartbreaks… but even at the worst parts, I was grateful for the opportunity to grow and learn. A university education is such a gift, and my undergraduate degree has been so rewarding and fulfilling.
Do you have any advice for your peers still in their lower years?
My advice is just to work really hard at school. Never forget that there are people all over the world fighting for the chance to have the education you’re getting right now. Even when it’s hard, and even when it sucks, never forget how lucky you are. Take these years and use them to work your hardest and be your absolute best. If I could go back in time and give myself any advice, I’d tell myself to start my readings earlier, to go to that class I skipped, to go to talk to that prof who challenged me in class, to raise my hand when I knew the answer… Working hard feels good.