Michella Ore, class of 2016, is responsible for having started the Williams chapter of HerCampus. Originally from the Bay Area, Michella is known on campus for her marvelous singing talent and for her equally marvelous fashion sense. She plans to major in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and a possible double in Arabic.
How did you find the HerCampus website?
I’m not sure how I came across the site but it was about two years ago. I was just browsing through different websites when I came across it. I found the content interesting and I started reading it.
What motivated you to start the Williams chapter?
I saw that a lot of colleges and universities had chapters and Williams didn’t have one. It’s been a constant thing– discovering Williams does not have something that a lot of other campuses do, at least in regards to the internet. And I feel like we’re not that known outside of academics. And I wanted to kind of put Williams in the spotlight. Show the world that we do have people, like actual humans. We are an actual school. I’ve heard people say “I’ve heard of Williams” but it has always been that kind of elusive thing cause they’ve never really met anyone who goes there. So to show them that we exist and that we’re interested in the same topics as other college students, I figured I’d try to launch a Williams chapter.
You always look great. Where do you shop?
Thank you! I shop at a bunch of different stores, but some more than others. I like to look at Asos, Urban Outfitters–but only the sale section because I think they are a bit overpriced for their quality– Topshop, NeedSupply, Crossroads and Buffalo Exchange. We don’t seem to have many Crossroad stores out here but in California I feel like I see them everywhere. They’re kind of like Goodwill but they’re a little bit more, I guess, picky when it comes to choosing which clothes they will take. And they also have new clothing mixed into their selection. And then, I guess I like Goodwill too. I also borrow clothes from friends and mix them into my wardrobe.
Was there an a cappella culture in the Bay Area?
I didn’t really think about a cappella before coming to school. There was an all girl’s choir which I was a part of for a few years but I had to stop that because my high school was in the opposite direction and commuting posed a problem. But yeah, I’ve kind of always been involved in music, except for high school where I just didn’t do it. I focused on other art, like drama, photography and drawing. But then I got here and I heard the a cappella groups sing and there was auditions and I was like “Why not go for it?” and I just did. There wasn’t a lot of forethought. And yeah, I ended up in one. I’m pretty happy about it!
When you mentioned photography, it reminded me of the fashion blog you started last semester, Purple, and I remember how you took it upon yourself to have the One Billion Rising event on campus. And now HerCampus, you drew people to do that. You seem like a natural leader. Do you think that kind of reflects what you would like to do post-Williams?
In regards to leadership, I think I do have leadership qualities but I tend to need a little push. So to look at One Billion Rising as an example, I was talking to a friend who is in a cappella and I was complaining about Williams not having a Rising on campus and he told me “You should just do it. You know about it and if no one else is doing it, you should do it.” At first, I didn’t want to because I thought it would be too much work for me to handle but then I realized I could handle the work. The blog was kind of just a personal thing and I guess HerCampus is more of me deciding to go for it. In regards to what I want to do in the future, I think being a diplomat or an ambassador would be pretty cool. But I’m also looking into maybe working with a PR team for a fashion brand. I want to be able to travel and communicate with people. I think I’m good at communication, for the most part. But I also like fashion and art. So if I could mix all those things together I would be happy. One of my far-out there visions of myself is being the next Anna Wintour and leading a fashion magazine amongst other projects.
So you mentioned traveling. Where would you like to study abroad next year?
Well I’m going to Italy in January, so I’m going to take that experience and see how I feel about studying there and if I would like to study there for a longer amount of time because the school is offering a study abroad semester in Sienna. So this will be kind of a preview. I’ve also always wanted to travel to France and study, but I feel like that’s super-cliché. But it’s cliché for a reason!
What draws you to France?
The Eiffel tower comes to mind. And baguettes and French food in general. In my mind, it has this nice, romantic vibe. I’m also considering Germany or Amsterdam. Maybe Morocco. I’m applying to go to Morocco this summer so we’ll see.If I were to get into the summer program I don’t think I would want to study in the same place. But studying in Morocco for a longer amount of time would allow me to exercise my Arabic more.
What are you hoping to gain from your study abroad experience?
Gaining more exposure to different cultures is my goal. There are so many different types of people and customs. No one person is going to be able to experience it all but I would like to experience as much as I can. Cause everyone has so much to offer. I feel like taking the opportunity to travel, not just to say that you traveled, but to immerse yourself and learn about different people is a good use of time. I think that’s a crucial part of living on this planet. If you take the capitalist part out of it, amassing a certain amount of money to do whatever you want, the point of your time here is to do something. And I feel like part of that something is getting to know different types of people and learning about the world you live in.
What’s your favorite thing about Williams?
I’d say that everyone is generally nice. There’s a welcoming vibe and a sense of community that you just feel when you come on campus. From the faculty, how they’re always accessible. The deans are there to talk to you whenever you need them, which I think is very different from most schools. From the students- we’re all quirky in some sense. I was talking with someone about this and we were describing Williams students as the odd cousins of the world. So together we’re just this great, weird family but when we’re separated we’re just the weird member. So it’s nice to be with your weird family. And also everyone has so much to offer. There are so many hidden talents- everyone has something beneath the surface to offer and share, so when you meet someone you’re guaranteed to find out something cool that they can do, which is pretty awesome.