Becoming a freshman in college in itself is a lot for a girl to handle. On top of expectations to go to the frats, rush a sorority, all while still doing well in college, is a lot for someone to handle who has never been in this situation before. But despite the ups and downs of the school year, Her Campus provided me with comfort when the days felt too long and I couldn’t understand the life of a college girl.
I stumbled across WVU Her Campus on Instagram in October. I had seen a pop-up that was asking for girls to join. Typically, I would not have interacted with the post, but I had felt like there was a piece of me missing that I had wanted to fill. In high school, I was the editor-in-chief of the yearbook and newspaper, which at the time had brought me so much joy. And I genuinely believe the change from taking classes like literature and history in high school to strictly STEM courses in college made me unhappy. So when I saw this opportunity, I felt as though Her Campus would be able to fill that void and give me a purpose. So when I saw that post at midnight, I sent a DM about my interest in the club. And to my surprise, I received a response only minutes later, welcoming me with open arms.
From there, I will admit that I did not fully commit to the club. I had written a few articles and then stopped as I was busy with classes and adjusting to college life. But after the semester had ended, I decided to prioritize the club, especially since I had always loved writing and wanted to do something that made me happy. Throughout my sorority recruitment process and after, I continued to write about topics that I enjoyed. I was able to write about anything I pleased, no matter how basic or controversial. For the first time, I was able to have no boundaries when it came to brainstorming ideas and speaking my mind.
The girls within the club are such kind human beings who have such a drive for what they love and feel strongly about. We are all so different, and yet at the end of the day, we are writing for a common goal: to empower, educate and elevate other women. I believe that when I started writing for the club, I had this idea that I would be writing for my younger self in a way. I thought of myself as a “Carrie Bradshaw,” where I would give advice on topics for the girls. But while writing for Her Campus, I realized that I was writing for other people, but more importantly, I was writing for myself. I wrote about things I had questions about, things I would have wanted to know at certain ages or times in my life, and things that I could personally relate to. Yes, I had to write about topics that were broader, but I wouldn’t have written anything I was not interested in.
Her Campus has given me a purpose, one that I had been searching for, and I am forever grateful for this platform and these girls. If I were to give any advice to someone who is considering joining, I would say do it. You get out what you put into it, so if that looks like writing, event planning or doing something with social media, there is something here for you. If I were to give advice to anyone currently a member of Her Campus, I would tell them that what they are doing is making more of an impact than they think. I have people who have seen my articles and asked me to write about certain topics, and it is more than rewarding to see your work get recognized. So keep writing what you want, remain passionate and don’t be afraid to try something new. If I were to give advice to the girl who sat in her bed at midnight on a random night in October, I would tell her to send that DM because it would be one of the best decisions she would make in her freshman year.