Her Campus Winona State, much like WSU, is a predominantly female organization. What many do not know is that we have a few rockstar Guydance writers on our crew too. We sat down with three of our male writers, Christian Bartz, Adam Bartusek, and Austin Opfer to hear their perspective on being a member of Her Campus.
These three all have different majors and extracurricular activities they are involved in, yet something they all have in common is their love for writing and storytelling.
Her Campus (HC): How did you first get involved in Her Campus?
Christian Bartz (CB): I was approached by the two ladies (Miranda and Katie) who brought HC to Winona and they ask if I would be interested in writing articles from a male perspective and I thought it sounded intriguing.
Adam Bartusek (AB): I first joined Her Campus because I actually saw Christian and Austin’s articles that first started Guydance and thought, “Man that is something I’d like to do. I love helping people and giving my best advice, so this would fit me.” I always had enjoyed writing so I thought it would be a good way to pass some time, do something a little more relaxed than schoolwork, and meet new people.
Austin Opfer (AO): I really enjoyed writing and being around women so when I had an initial story idea I spoke with the president at the time, Miranda and she encouraged me to join.
HC: Why should a guy consider writing for Her Campus?
CB: It is a good opportunity to be creative with your writing. In a classroom setting, your style is far more structured and sort of doctored by your professor. In Her Campus, you can just think of an idea and run with it, which is a luxury in feature writing. I also found Her Campus to be relatively stress-free. Yes, there are deadlines and it can be hard to set up interviews and all that jazz. However, the environment that you work in is relaxed and positive. Everyone I worked with was more than happy to answer questions, provide information, etc.
AB: There are multiple reasons you should join Her Campus is you’re a guy. First of all, as with any club, you meet a ton of new people. So if you have a hard time getting out of your shell or just want to meet people this is a great place to go. Everyone is really close and you always see them on campus and strike up a conversation. Second, any blog writing for a professional organization looks great on a resume, and when writing articles you often end up meeting new people as well. Lastly, it allows you to work in an environment you might not necessarily be “comfortable” in or used to. Working with a club filled with females is different, in a lot of good ways. There are new viewpoints on everything, it’s energetic (most of the time), and they have a strong passion for what they are doing. It’s a great way to bust out of your own bubble and gain experience.
AO: Sure it’s a chance to build your resume and all that jazz but it’s a really great way to connect with people.
HC: In what way(s) has Her Campus benefited you?
CB: The more obvious answer would be that it benefitted my writing, but it goes a bit deeper than that. I found it really interesting to write for a target audience that didn’t include myself. This was the most challenging aspect, which is usually the most rewarding. To be more specific, it has helped me explore topics that I normally wouldn’t write about.
AB: I have definitely benefited the most from working with a group that is mainly females. As I said before, you learn a ton of new opinions and are brought into a new view. Which is great for any work setting. I have actually spoken about working with this group multiple times in job interviews because of how unique of a setting it is. It’s a great resume builder and overall makes you a better person. I also gained a lot of friends I wouldn’t have without Her Campus, so that’s a major plus as well.
AO: It has expanded my circle of friends and helped me connect with a lot of people. It has helped me develop my writing, my creative drive to entertain others, and it has given me the ability to stay in tune with women’s interest and trends.
HC: What is your favorite part about being in the club?
CB: Seeing a finished product. Knowing that I created something from nothing is one of the greatest feelings and that is why I write.
AB: My favorite part was the people. All of these girls are great students, role models, and more than anything, awesome people. It’s been a pleasure learning from them and creating loads of new college memories. I will never forget my time with Her Campus and all the great ladies (and guys) that have been a part of it.
AO: Creating something other people can connect with and be entertained by is a great feeling for me. That and our social antics as a club are very enjoyable.
Her Campus will not be the same next year without these three, thank you guys for everything!