While I was unpacking my freshman year dorm room, I took a break and scrolled through the VCU class of 2019 Facebook page, and saw a link to apply to an organization called “Her Campus at VCU.” Pausing my scroll to briefly read through the requirements, I knew instantly that this looked like a fun organization to be a part of—girl power and writing? Bonds of friendship and being published on a nationally read website? Sign me up! I anxiously waited on whether or not I had secured an interview, bothering my roommate and suitemates every half hour with updates no one asked for. When I received one, I spent the next 72 hours practically convincing myself that I wasn’t good enough to be in this organization; sure I liked writing, but could I cut it as a writer for a website?
Apparently, I could. The editor-in-chief and the senior editor took a chance on me, showing up to my interview with a creative writing sample I’d written and rewritten over and over again that likely wasn’t that good, but two days later, I was told I was a member of Her Campus at VCU.
Almost four years have passed since that interview, and I am so lucky to say I am still a part of this organization. I have seen three editors-in-chief come and go, three presidents, been to countless meetings, written lots and lots of articles, used perhaps too many gifs and participated in too many events to count—and I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.
As with most things, it must come to an end, and I wanted to end my very last article for Her Campus at VCU by simply saying thank you. Without Her Campus, I don’t know what my college experience would have been like, nor do I want to know. I have met so many of my lifelong, bridesmaid-level friends because of this organization, and when I wanted to transfer after my freshman year, it was Her Campus that made me re-fall in love with VCU and remember why I chose to go here.
So thank you, thank you for letting me be me and find my first home at VCU. I have grown so much as a writer, as a student, as a person and as a woman because of Her Campus. To the editor-in-chief and senior editor that took a chance on little, scared freshmen me that was so full of self-doubt that I almost didn’t go to the interview: thank you for opening the doors to an organization that would open so many other opportunities to me. From being a chapter advisor to leading writing workshops to write articles shared by Nationals, this organization has done so much for my career as well as my personal life. I’ve written things I never thought were possible and have clearly grown so much as a writer, something I attribute completely to what Her Campus has taught me
I can’t believe this is the last article that I will ever publish for Her Campus at VCU, just typing it feels so surreal. As much as I hate clichés, and try to avoid them whenever possible, I feel like there’s only one (incredibly corny and overused) quote that sums up my last eight semesters as a writer for Her Campus at VCU:
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
And smile I will. Thank you Her Campus. HCXO forever.