Name: Ana ValentinHometown: Elizabeth, NJMajor: Early Childhood Education with TSD (Teaching Students with Disabilities) and English with a focus in Creative WritingYear: Soon to be JuniorInvolvement: RA, DA, Her Campus WPUNJFun Fact: I’ve hiked a section of the Appalachian Trail with my boyfriend and his mom.Favorite Quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world” as clichéd as it may be. I have it tattooed to my body because I fully believe that the first step to achieving a step in the right direction for humanity is to encompass the changes you wish to see done.
Ana Valentin has a mission to create her ideal life and live the way she wants to. Ever an optimist, Ana applies her positive attitude, love of all things whimsy, and can-do attitude to all that she does. While she knows that not everything is a walk in the park, she tries to get through even the most mundane activities including workouts, homework, and DA duties with a smile on her face and her own flair. It was recently announced that the writer and blogger will take on the role of Editor-In-Chief for HCWPUNJ beginning this Fall, which is what makes her worthy of being our final Campus Celebrity of Spring 2015!
HC: What is your favorite thing about WPUNJ?
AV: I’d have to say the size. For some people the small campus and smaller population may be a drawback, but there is rarely a face I haven’t seen before. Even if I don’t know your name or anything, its cool to know I’ve seen you before and we’ll cross paths again.
HC: What has been your favorite class at WPUNJ, and why?
AV: As an English major I kind of felt obligated to say something like Intro to Creative Writing or Children’s Literature. But the truth is my favorite class has definitely been my cluster from freshman year. I looked forward to those 3 classes in a row every single Monday, Wednesday and Friday, as lame as that may sound. I lucked out on having amazing Professors (shout out to Clemente, Martin and Gies!) and made some awesome bonds that semester. HC: How long have you been writing, and did you always want to write?AV: I would say my interest for writing definitely started around second grade, but my passion for it grew from fourth grade on. In old elementary school we were tested and put in english class according to your grade level scores. I was placed around 2-3 grades ahead. So from 1st grade on I knew I had a natural aptitude for the subject. However when I won a poetry contest by cheating in my new school I felt so guilty that I swore I’d win the next with my own. And I did. From there on, all I ever did was write.
HC: You run a beautiful blog; can it be hard to keep up with?AV: Dear Lord, YES! I tried to keep a Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday schedule for my posts. At first it was manageable, but I wasn’t doing all the tedious aspects of blogging such as networking and maintaining an active presence on all social media platforms. Once I incorporated that on top of RA and DA duties in combination with being a full time student and an avid fitness enthusiast…. I don’t know how I made it through some weeks. The best tip I have is to prioritize accordingly but most importantly, to forgive yourself if you miss a post or skimp on a workout in order to get other things done. Balance — it doesn’t come easy, but it gets easier with time. HC: How do you balance everything that’s on your plate?AV: Oops! I think I slightly answered this question, but to get more specific: PLAN. As they say, “A goal without a plan is simply a dream.” And, sure, dreams are awesome, but to be successful you need a plan of action set in place. I sit with my agenda each week and set out my days hour by hour typically, especially on a hectic week, and schedule myself out. I treat everything like a business meeting. My workout is included in this and so is blogging. Sometimes you have to accommodate and readjust some of the things because life does happen but I find that having a to-do list and to see the tasks laid out in front of me really does help.
HC: What do you hope to accomplish within the next year?AV: Oh my… so by the end of my junior year… I’d like to have gotten a lot of my mandatory courses out of the way and be on my way to graduating in spring 2017 as I planned. I hope to have conquered my irrational fear/anxiety of driving. DISNEY! I’m saving to go to Disney this upcoming spring break with my boyfriend so that is DEFINITELY a MUST. I’d also like to have had an awesome year as the new Editor-In-Chief of Her Campus WPUNJ. Last but not least, I’d like to be on my way to having a steady income with my blog. Fingers crossed!
Follow Ana on social media: Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook And read her blog: http://figuringoutmyeverafter.com