Writing my first article at the start of my junior year, I was a latecomer to Her Campus. Stuck in a rut of studying for biology & chemistry classes, conducting research studies, and drowning in health-related extracurriculars, I was desperate for a refresh. I needed to do something that helped me feel rejuvenated. It was at that time that one of my closest friends — Colleen — convinced me that Her Campus would be the perfect organization for me to join. Throughout our sophomore year, Colleen brought up her amazing experiences with Her Campus and urged me to join. At the time, I was too deep in schoolwork and other commitments to realize that this organization would be a great fit for me.
So, when Colleen brought up Her Campus again at the beginning of our junior year, I thought I’d give it a shot. After my first meeting, I was convinced. I was met by a diverse group of young women who had varied backgrounds, majors, and passions but who could all unite through their zeal for writing and sharing their interests. Over the past two years, Her Campus has allowed me to grow in more ways than I could have imagined. I have started reading for fun again, broadened my music taste, and exercised my creative writing skills. I have found ways to escape the difficulties of being a pre-med student and have connected with girls at Her Campus who inspire me daily.
For the past couple of weeks, I have been scrolling through my camera roll reminiscing over my four years at TCU. As I celebrate graduation and write my final article, I want to take a walk down memory lane and honor one of my most cherished friends at TCU: Colleen, the person who made it possible for me to get connected with Her Campus.
hOW DID WE MEET?
It was the summer of 2021, and I was eagerly anticipating the start of a new chapter of my life as I approached the beginning of my time at TCU. In July, I attended one of the incoming freshman orientations. The first stop on the agenda was the honors college info session, which was bright and early at 7:30 in the morning. Upon walking in, I saw a student (who shortly after introduced herself as Colleen) who seemed warm and inviting sitting in the front row. I nervously walked up and asked if I could it with her and thus began a friendship that I am forever grateful for.
Later, I found out that Colleen was in the same orientation small group as me. We immediately connected at orientation, talking about everything from dance to soccer to high school chemistry classes (even though Colleen had no plans to take any more chemistry courses). By wonderful coincidence, Colleen and I ended up living on the same wing in TCU’s first-year honors dorm, Milton Daniel.
Our memories in Milton are endless. From vlog and movie nights, sledding on campus when we had a snowstorm, and going to women’s soccer games, living a few doors down from Colleen meant being able to make any random Tuesday night a fun memory. While we weren’t down the hall from each other sophomore year, we still kept the fun going. We had a celebratory dinner when I dropped organic chemistry, watched TCU beat Baylor at Baylor in TCU’s historic 2022 football season, and went to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour together!
colleen + HER CAMPUS
The sophomore-to-junior-year transition was tough. Staying on campus as an RA while most of my friends moved off campus meant needing to schedule intentional time with those I cherished most at college. Pre-med classes amped up and studying for the MCAT made me feel like I was constantly under a mountain of pressure. Her Campus came at the perfect time for me. I knew that if I hadn’t seen Colleen earlier in the week, I’d be able to catch up with her on Wednesday night.
For the past two years, some of my best memories with Colleen tie back to Her Campus. Whether it was me helping draft Colleen’s NFL fantasy football team, getting new book recommendations, or catching up while drinking mocktails and making vision boards, Wednesday nights were always a fun treat to get me through the week.
Outside of Her Campus, our friendship has continued to grow in so many ways. From visiting Colleen in Miami while she worked a competitive internship with the Miami Dolphins, traveling to Disneyland over fall break together, and telling her that I got my first medical school acceptance letter, I am so grateful that we have shared our biggest and most fun moments. Beyond the big moments, the small ones have been just as meaningful. Whether it’s an impromptu lunch or coffee, a last-minute nail appointment, or a trivia night, I know that Colleen has always been there to listen and provide the best advice when I need it most.
But most of all, I am incredibly thankful that my friendship with Colleen brought me out of my shell and to Her Campus. For the past two years, I have been introduced to a diverse community of strong, intelligent, compassionate women who are engaged in amazing endeavors across campus. Her Campus has been a safe space to talk about anything from classes to pop culture to new coffee shops in the area. Most importantly, I have been able to rekindle my love for writing. Not the academic kind, but the one that allows me to explore my interests, including Taylor Swift and football.
Going to medical school next year means even more studying, but these past two years have taught me how to balance exploring my passions while excelling academically. While leaving TCU means leaving the Her Campus community, I am forever grateful for the lessons and experiences I have had here.
Signing off as your resident NFL expert and avid Taylor Swift fan,
Vinisha