My first article was published on September 24, 2017.
According to a nifty “dates between” calculator, it was 441 days later that I wrote this reflection on having 50 pieces in my portfolio.
And now, I’m writing an article, my 100th article, to be exact.
I have many emotions about this article, to be honest. When I first joined Her Campus in 2017, I had no scope of how much growth would occur within me. I have made incredible friends and crafted an extensive portfolio, all while (hopefully) entertaining and empowering my readers.
So for this special, commemorative piece, I’m going to have 10 different categories of happiness as they pertain to Her Campus.
CATEGORY ONE: FOODS
This category is about the different ways my favorite foods are reminiscent of my beloved Her Campus club and the ladies within it.
1. Mashed potatoes—Much like the starchy staple in many people’s lives, being in Her Campus has provided me with an ultimate comfort.
2. Ice cream—My love for the club runs deeper than my favorite chocolate chip cookie dough-brownie duo in a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked.
3. Oranges—A bit punny, but being around these girls each week has given me a certain zest for life.
4. French fries— I was with Hailey when she broke her year-long fast of fries at the MN State Fair, and the pure delight is something I equate with HC as well.
5. Pizza—The ultimate food for a girl-gang bonding event, much like our end-of-semester potlucks.
6. Burgers—An American classic.
7. Pasta—The versatility of this dish reminds me of our members and the way we can mix up our weekly content.
8. Tacos—This is something I could never get sick of and love deeply.
9. Cake—It’s always a joyous event when cake is involved, and our weekly meetings feel like the human embodiment of seeing someone carry a cake out, sans the cake (usually).
10. Cookies—Baking the cookies gives a warm and fuzzy feeling. My club makes me feel like a cookie.
CATEGORY TWO: MUSIC
This section is a (small) playlist of empowering songs, which is the general tone of Her Campus.
1. “Run the World (Girls)”—Beyonce
2. “Man! I Feel Like a Woman”—Shania Twain
3. “Good as Hell”—Lizzo
4. “Green Light”—Lorde
5. “GIRL”—Maren Morris
6. “Confident”—Demi Lovato
7. “That’s My Girl”“—Fifth Harmony
8. “Woman”—Ke$ha
9. “Love Myself”—Hailee Steinfeld
10. “Firework”—Katy Perry
CATEGORY THREE: CLOTHES
Coming to a HC meeting for me feels like wearing my favorite outfit every week. This section is for all the ways a great ‘fit makes HC a great fit for me.
1. A perfectly worn-in T shirt—This item provides such comfort. So does our weekly meeting.
2. Skinny jeans—Much like when you’re wearing this item, the girls of HC will not shy away from complimenting you.
3. A sunhat—The future’s so bright (for all of us) that we need some protection from our rays.
4. Cool kicks—That swagger walk you get with new, cool shoes? Exactly how I feel with them.
5. Our club shirts—Designed by South by Sea and flaunted by us, this item, much like the shirts themselves, make me wanna say “Write On.”
6. Animal print—It’s wild how much I’ve grown within the club. Also, we’re fierce.
7. Neon colors—Bright colors and brighter smiles are all around this club.
8. Winona gear—It’s always a great day to be a Warrior seeing them and serving looks in a purple hoodie.
9. Crop top—This item and these girls boost my confidence to the max.
10. Your favorite dress—It just makes you want to twirl in giddy-girly circles.
CATEGORY FOUR: CANDY
The girls in my chapter are sweet like candy. This section is about explaining why I think these particular ones represent HC Winona.
1. Three Musketeers—This candy has another nickname for friends, and that’s something so many of these girls are to me.
2. Butterfinger—Nobody lays a finger on my Butterfinger. This is a testament to my loyalty to the HC members.
3. DOTS—These are fun and bright, just like our members.
4. Hershey’s—This bar is just so classic-ly incredible.
5. Smarties—We’re wordy girls with the brains to accompany it.
6. Reese’s—Her Campus and I are like the perfect duo… second to none to PB and chocolate, of course.
7. Cotton candy—This color scheme is often associated with the HC color palette, so it deserved a mention.
8. Sour Patch Kids—I like a little pucker in my candy and we like to toss the good-natured joke at each other… first they’re sour, then they’re sweet.
9. Salt water taffy—Thought I was going to the UK, but now they’re stuck with me for my final year.
10. Snickers—We share some gut-busting laughs together.
CATEGORY FIVE: QUOTES
These quotes remind me of the spirit and potential of the wonderful women I get to work and create with.
1. Mark Anthony: “And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire, and not that even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears.”
2. Eleanor Roosevelt: “Women are like teabags. We don’t know our true strength until we are in hot water.”
3. Judy Garland: “Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else.”
4. Jennifer Lopez: “Doubt is a killer. You just have to know who you are and what you stand for.”
5. Lady Gaga: “Some women choose to follow men, and some choose to follow their dreams. If you’re wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore.”
6. Amy Schumer: “I am a woman with thoughts and questions and sh*t to say. I say if I’m beautiful. I say if I’m strong. You will not determine my story- I will.”
7. Maya Angelou: “Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women.”
8. Oprah Winfrey: “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.”
9. Hillary Clinton: “Take criticism seriously, but not personally. If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you.”
10. Lizzo: “I just took a DNA test / Turns out, I’m 100% that b*tch!”
CATEGORY SIX: 2019-20 FAVS
These are just some of my favorite pieces written by other creators during this school year.
1. An Open Letter to My Longtime Nanny Family: The way Kellen crafted the narrative of her time spent with this beloved family was a super special, heartwarming read.
2. Tossing Out the Toxic Friendships: How to Recognize and Cut Off Toxic Friendships: Cheyenne perfectly captured this concept with grace and honesty.
3. Hooked on Physical Activity: A Profile with Namjin Kim: In her interview, Gretchen connected well with Namjim and made his life story easy to follow and enjoy.
4. The Truth, Privilege & Responsibility of Plant-Based Diets: This first article by Harmony was everything: thought-provoking, well-written and topical. Definitely give it a read!
5. To Those Who Feel Nothing Yet Everything All At Once: The raw honesty that Jada showcased in this piece is one of the ultimate strengths of Her Campus: the ability to connect with compelling, personal stories.
6. The Masked Oracle: The fictional content that Sydney has been producing is a refreshing change in pace from our normal articles. Plus, it’s a captivating read!
7. Crisis Averted: Why I Now Have an ‘Everything Happens for a Reason’ Life Outlook: The story Amanda P shared has tragedy, intrigue and a message about life all wrapped into one.
8. There’s an “I in Movie: Why It’s Okay to Go Solo to See a Show: This quirky and relatable article by Meg is a great reminder on how to prioritize yourself.
9. What It’s Really Like Being the Tall Girl: The personality of Tiegue really shines in this piece and the fun in reading stretches (almost) as tall as her.
10. Oh, How Sweet It Is: The 411 on Honey Extraction: This piece by Katie is equal parts entertaining and information. See what all the buzz is about and read it!
CATEGORY SEVEN: MY PERSONAL FAVS
From accomplishing this milestone, I think it’s important to have reflection. These are my top 10 favorite articles I’ve written so far, ranked in order.
1. Hannah-LYZE This: Body Positivity in the 21st Century—I consider this to be my most impactful piece. Among the history and my personal narrative is a message that’s important for everyone.
2. How Rescuing Two Lives Put Mine into Perspective“—My first article… it’s what started it all, but it’s not stopping anytime soon!
3. Dumpster Diving: My Biggest Freshman Year Fail“—If you haven’t read this yet, I don’t know what you’re waiting for. It’s so funny it hurts…my pride and your sides from laughing.
4. National Poetry Month: A Couple(t) of Poets on Their Passion for Prose“— I’ve written several articles with Hailey. But this is my favorite because it’s about us being inspired by one another and making beautiful art.
5. Foundations of Friendship: To the Girls Who Walked into My Life This Year“—I would be nothing without my incredible second family I’ve made in Winona. This is a tribute.
6. Goodbye to the Lake House on the Hill“—A nostalgic piece about the best parts of me being formed, in part, on Adam’s Lake. I miss it so, but this piece will live on in memory.
7. Permanent Ink: The Significance of My Fountain Pen Tattoo“—My story on my latest tattoo encapsulates this entire article: I’ll never not love to write.
8. Switching Positions: A Profile with Our Formers CCs, Kasey Lanenberg and Emily Sheptoski“—This was such a fun way to catch up and talk with the people who introduced me to this little family I have now.
9. Hannah-LYZE This: How I Surprised My Best Friend on Her Golden Birthday“—I surprised my best friend of all time in Minneapolis for her golden birthday… need I say more?
10. A College Homecoming for a High School Prom“—Following #9’s lead, I came home for my little sister’s Prom. Many tears were shed.
CATEGORY EIGHT: HOPES FOR FUTURE
While I may be looking back on the 99 other pieces I’ve written, I want to share some hopes moving forward.
1. I hope I continue to entertain people with my writing.
2. I hope I continue making incredible connections from my profile pieces.
3. I hope I inspire others to join the club and write (almost) as much as me.
4. I hope I continue to be a good leader for the club.
5. I hope I never run out of inspiration.
6. I hope I’m a source of inspiration for other writers who feel stuck.
7. I hope I get to 200 articles… okay, maybe 150!
8. I hope we have a boy join soon even though it’s called Her Campus—we’re inclusive.
9.I hope all my hard work gets me noticed by my dream magazine—Glamour.
10. I hope I continue making myself, and my readers, proud.
CATEGORY NINE: BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS
This list is a humblebrag of some of the notable accomplishments I’ve had individually and as part of the HC team.
1. Stepping out of my comfort zone and joining the club freshman year
2. Taking the plunge after a whole month into freshman year to write my first piece
3. Receiving the “Queen of Hits” award on my first piece at the end of first semester, freshman year
4. Being named editor-in-chief for first semester of sophomore year
5. Getting a chance to meet a best friend in Hailey
6. Becoming a co-leader with Hailey
7. Gaining Diamond and then ELITE status for HC Winona
8. Finding a group of people who really get me
9. Getting to know myself better
10. Writing 99 pieces before this
CATEGORY TEN: THANK YOUS
I want to express gratitude to those who have and will continue to support my time in HC.
1.Thank you to Kasey and Emily for carrying me under your wings freshman year.
2.Thank you, Cassie, for being an incredible editor-in-chief role model.
3. Thank you to my laptop for withstanding the countless articles I’ve typed on you.
4. Thank you to HC Nationals for believing I’d be a good Campus Correspondent.
5. Thank you to Hailey for showing me what that looks like. And being my best friend.
6. Thank you to all the new members from my first year of leadership. Hope you stay.
7. Thank you to the familiar faces. Hope you stay too.
8. Thanks to my mom and her parents for reading every article. And I mean… every article.
9. Thank you to Cheyenne for being excited to work with me next year as a CC.
10. Thanks to me for always knowing what makes me happiest: being a HC writer.
I hope you all enjoyed reading this reflection as much as I enjoyed writing it.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to say that Her Campus truly has made me a better “her.” I’m more sociable, well-spoken, confident and expressive.
Here’s to the next however many articles I write!
HCXO, Hannah