We’re Huskies, it’s what we do

Well… didn’t the fall semester just fly by.

After all the unexpected twists and turns, this girl is still going strong. One more semester left and looking back, I can’t say I have many regrets if any! Being involved with friends and clubs while staying active is the key to success in my book! (Not forgetting about the hours of writing papers and studying ;)) Our favorite!

But truly, I’ve learned that work DOES pay off! Be that student who puts in the extra hour to tidy up her paper. Be that student who goes out of their way to assist a member in their club with a project. Be THAT student who goes above and beyond. Sort of like Buzz Lightyear… or is that to infinity and beyond? Actually, do that too!

Oh, the Places You Go says Dr. Seuss. Make the effort, put in the work, and you’ll see the results in the end.

Starting out merely as a member of NCASC (National Communication Association Student Club), I’ve worked my way up to PRESIDENT! Taking on various leadership roles such as treasurer and public relations chair, I was an active exec member throughout my college years. It wasn’t all pretty though.

You see, at first, I tried so hard to follow this shiny, marbly, off-white path to guide me to my success. But in reality, this path is dusty, rugged, and dirt brown.

But that’s okay. Every path is different and leads to different things!

In my freshman year, I started out as a health science major. I loved science and formulas but my sophomore year, I learned this wasn’t the path for me. It was during the Covid-19 pandemic when I took a class called Interpersonal Communications and I absolutely loved it. Through the Zoom screen, my professor opened my eyes to other majors offered. She started telling me more about communication studies, and I was sold.

Regardless of what others thought or expected of me, I loved this new major path. Why? It was for myself.

Later on, I picked up a marketing minor as I was interested in aspects of business. I wanted to be as successful and marketable as possible after college. Even though I never really enjoyed crunching numbers, I pushed myself to learn more every day.

Happiness comes from within. And THAT is what I ultimately learned this year.

Overall, college has brought friends into my life that will truly last a lifetime. I’ve learned as much from them as I have in my courses. Life is a process, and it’s to be taken one step at a time.

And with one semester left, I can confidently say that when I walk across the graduation stage, I’ll continue to go onward and upward. We’re Huskies, it’s what we do.

— Kathryn Henriksen, a senior communication studies major at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg with an emphasis on organizational communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this fall. She is a native of Pottstown who loves Andy Grammer, Nutella, and all 10 seasons of Friends.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

No sweating the missed exits

So, senior year… what a bundled mess of stress.

Nothing really goes as planned, ever. Who was going to tell me how many curve balls this world was going to throw me?

Going through heartbreak is one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through. And I've (almost) been through college. Crazy to say I only have one more semester to go. Nothing has ever been this challenging for me emotionally.

So, what did I do about it? Cry. A lot. I’m human, I can’t help it.

Thank goodness for the friendships I built throughout college. My two closest friends are now my roommates. They bring so much support, joy, and warmth into my life.

Who else brings me happiness? My lovely dad.

He has always been there for me. We are like two peas in a pod. Or we would say, “like coffee and creamer.” (we don’t actually say that – I just know he would agree with that comparison and think it represented us).

This boyfriend of mine was a major part of my life, and it was hard getting back on track after he was gone. So, I turned to my roommates, my friends, my brother, and ultimately my dad. He knew exactly what I was going through and knew just how to help.

It felt like I had so much more free time to myself! It was great. Or so it seemed up until I got bored. I turned to journaling to write down my feelings. Pencil to paper is so healing. I feel like I wrote more this week than in my communication courses.

I turned to music in my free time. Blasting Taylor Swift in the shower is a must. Turning up to Olivia Rodrigo in my car rides to work is unmatched. Don’t Blame Me, 22, Bejeweled, I Did Something Bad. Logical, vampire, favorite rime, happier, and 1 step forward, 3 steps back.

Looking back, maybe it was necessary to take time for myself. To really focus on my academics, my friendships, and my family. Suddenly, I had time to hang out with the closest people in my life! The best part of the work-life balance in my opinion.

Recently, my dad visited me to have a father-daughter day! We drove to lunch first then to Selinsgrove after. But, this was no regular trip.

Remember when I said that things don't typically go as planned? Well, that fully applies for this outing. We were on the road for longer than expected. Why? We missed an exit! We got so invested in our conversation that we lost track of the signs on the road and drove right by our exit. I’m taking this as a positive. To get so distracted by a quality conversation with your favorite person is such a blessing.

This 30-minute drive to lunch quickly turned into a 2-hour drive for lunch! And it was to a BBQ joint on top of a mountain overlooking the river called Skeeters. What a great, picturesque view, accompanied by even better food! What an experience this was. But, let me tell you, the destination was so worth it. Worth the time and distress. Because there’s something great waiting at the end.

This stage of my life is definitely the car ride on the highway with multiple missed exits. It feels like nothing is going as planned. I’m sure I’ll get to my BBQ joint soon. It will be okay.

— Kathryn Henriksen, a senior communication studies major at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg with an emphasis on organizational communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this fall. She is a native of Pottstown who loves Andy Grammer, Nutella, and all 10 seasons of Friends.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

Life is best with balance

School can be a lot at times. I know, who can’t relate?

Not sure why it took me three years and six semesters to realize that college is way more than just going to classes. It’s important to invest yourself into the campus culture. You know as they say … get involved, put yourself out there, meet people.

By the end of last year, I found myself active in three clubs. Something almost impossible for me to make time for in high school with my 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule. Then my day ended with field hockey practice and games after school. It felt like I only had time for homework afterwards.

I figured college would be different. But this different?

I love how college offers so much diversity, allowing you to pick up new interests, join clubs, and build friendships. However, this can all end up being a lot by your senior year. Somehow, year after year my classes and extracurriculars added up to be a little too much for me to handle. After a day on campus, I would barely have time to talk to my roommates.

Even as a senior in college, I can’t seem to get this down. I thought I could handle all of the clubs and classes alongside my internship and job. Some people — like my boyfriend, Ben — can function off three hours of sleep.

But for me, I NEED the eight hours.

I knew some changes needed to be made as I got to the second week of classes. I got a calendar to write down my day-to-day schedule. I made it a priority to schedule time for rest. College is a time for discovering yourself and that comes with realizing what’s best for you. For me, I was overwhelmed and wrote down my classes and club meetings on my lovely TJ Maxx calendar, which I use every day.

I now have time for quality time with my roommates, Sophie and Annie. Baking cookies in my apartment with my two favorite girls is an essential part to my time here at Bloomsburg. I tend to think I can do it all, but I know I’m not a superhero. Humans have limits. And, crazy enough, we are human. It’s necessary to have a social life and time to yourself!

Have fun while you can and make the most out of these four years with your roommates. These are the times you’ll remember. We spent time on the little couch in our living watching horror movies anxiously stuffing Pop-secret popcorn into our mouths are the nights. As someone that’s terrified of gory horror movies, watching the Chainsaw Massacre absolutely traumatized me.

All three of us would congregate in the living room and kitchen area catching up on our days like we haven’t seen each other in years. A core memory of college. Enjoying family dinner as we all cook our own little meals together on Mondays. This recent week featured two versions of stir-fry and homemade tacos that lasted us all week!

Sophie, Annie, and I realized that a great hack to being a college student on a low budget is cooking meals on Monday and eating them throughout the week! We love to meal prep and act like adults in our little kitchen. Doing this together on Mondays is a new tradition of ours we look forward to. It gets us pumped for the week as we encourage each other.

Make intentional time for yourself. You might not think you need it, but college is also a time of self-discovery. Some self-reflection is important to find your true self. I value my time in college for allowing me to experience self-discovery. When I reflect, I consider how I feel in the morning, before my class, after an exam, and at night when the day is complete. When the emotions reveal themselves, I better understand my needs. Journaling with my precious BIC pencil in my little pink notebook helps to ground myself in the mornings. De-compressing on my dark brown couch after a long day of classes at 4:30 p.m. calms me down.

Putting on my favorite TV series, FRIENDS and mindlessly scrolling through TikTok allows me to escape but also laugh hysterically. FRIENDS has always been there for me. It’s literally in their intro song, “I’ll be there for you.” They do not fail. They make me laugh when I’m already happy, cheer me up when I’m down, and comfort me no matter what. At this point, it is background noise as I do my homework or scroll through Instagram and TikTok. My recent obsession on TikTok is funny videos like the @sturnoliotriplets late at night.

Times like this allow me to enjoy life’s purest moments. It brings me joy and peace during overwhelming times. I’m having fun while having time for myself. I can perform better in my studies, hangout with friends in my free-time, exercise at the rec center, and chat with friends on my way to class. It may seem like a lot all at once to try and balance everything.

Annie always says to just do “one thing at a time.”

Life is best with balance. I would see my roommates sitting on the couch with their stir fry and realize I might be too busy if I don’t have intentional time to eat and chat. My senior year is supposed to be fun and more relaxed. I am going to make that happen. My last year at Bloomsburg is looking like the best yet!

The next chapter comes sooner than you know it! I didn't believe them when they said that time flies in college. But now that I’m a senior, there’s no truer statement.

— Kathryn Henriksen, a senior communication studies major at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg with an emphasis on organizational communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this fall. She is a native of Pottstown who loves Andy Grammer, Nutella, and all 10 seasons of Friends.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

Not according to plan but that's okay

 

It’s the first week of my senior year, and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Which, is great for me because I am a planner. Things are looking up but that was not always the case. It’s certainly not how I planned it.

Nothing ever felt right. Not even when I was so accomplished in high school, graduating with honors. Nothing was ever enough. I’ve always battled with perfectionism. I’ve always wanted to be so successful after college. To make my parents proud of me. It was almost a competition I created for myself with my twin brother, Brandon. I had to be better. With sports, grades, helping around the house… the list goes on.

I was not enjoying life as I should be. I put off hanging out with friends on the weekends to just do 5% better on an exam the next day. I was the student who prioritized academics over anything else. Even myself. I lost myself in the jumbled mess that was my life.

I would be so consumed with perfecting essays to the last comma, memorizing vocabulary until I could recite it, and spending hours studying alone in my bedroom, avoiding any social contact. Why, you ask? I couldn’t afford any distractions. At least, that’s what I told myself.

But now, as I embark on my final year of college, I have the great feeling things are finally starting to come together. And those distractions? That’s the fun to life. That’s what made me grow.

Go hang out with those friends until midnight and laugh so hard you cry. Go to that movie you’ve been dying to see since the previews came out. Go take that road trip to Crumbl Cookies 30 minutes away on a school night. Go join that social club even if you’re scared of meeting new people. Go visit your sibling two hours away at college just because.

Go, go, go!

These experiences can end up being the best experiences of your life. Cliché I know but, seriously. I found the bestest friends in these clubs like Cru and NCASC that will last a lifetime.

And that random college visit I took to see Brandon for a weekend? Instantaneously, without a doubt, it changed my life in the best way possible.

How could that be?

Well, I met the love of my life there. I’d marry him with paper rings if you know what I mean. I would’ve never gotten here if I said, “Oh, maybe later” or “Now’s not a good time.” Instead, I said, “Why not!” and drove up there the next day.

I wanted to be as transparent as possible when in public places to avoid any sort of attention or embarrassment. But, Ben, my boyfriend, wasn’t having that. He knew how I felt about it. So, what did he do? He meowed as loud as he could inside of Weis Markets, Target, or Wal-Mart. As crazy as this sounds, it did indeed help me feel more comfortable in public settings.

I started becoming more comfortable giving speeches. And that’s coming from someone who has an apprehension about public speaking. On my 21st birthday, I wore a birthday sash out to dinner. My parents were baffled and surprised. But, hey, I got a free dessert out of it. Candles and everything.

This special boy helped to bring me out of my shell that once protected me. Now, I have a big strong boy for that. Just kidding. I can do it myself, at least I think I can. 

You see, that's the continuous cycle that is my life. I think I can do it all by myself but, there are actually limits to what we can do.

Insane, right?

Right. Because, first of all, I would not be in the spot that I am in right now without the great amount of support I have received from my aunt, brother, boyfriend, and my parents.

It was not me accomplishing everything all on my own without any help. It was leaning on people when I needed a good cry. It was not the hours I spent alone in my room studying. It was pushing myself outside of my comfort zone.

It was discovering myself and finding happiness in it.

Success to me is not being at the top of your class or the president of your club. It's finding true contentment and balance in life. Not everything follows your carefully crafted plan but that's how you grow. I grew. That’s how I know. In fact, I’m still growing. I have another year ahead of me!

— Kathryn Henriksen, a senior communication studies major at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg with an emphasis on organizational communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this fall. She is a native of Pottstown who loves Andy Grammer, Nutella, and all 10 seasons of Friends.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

I'll stick to being me

On Oct. 12, 2000, at 10:45 p.m., a queen was born. Just kidding it was just me.

I’m the queen lol.

Five minutes into being the youngest sibling, my lavish lifestyle of being the youngest was stripped away when my twin sister was born. That meant $10 instead of $20 on birthdays. It meant sharing cakes, and it ended up meaning being forced to wear the same outfits until I could dress myself. Let's just say I started dressing myself rather young. 

My entire life being compared and being asked “Can you read each other's mind?” Actually, yes. Yes, we can. I was also considered “Mimi’s sister.” My sister is gorgeous and so outgoing, and everyone loved her so much. Making friends came so easy for her, and I had to rehearse 20 times about potential conversations I would have so I wouldn’t sound awkward. Believe me, it still sounded incredibly awkward.

The thing is I didn’t mind it. I didn’t mind being in the shadows because that meant if they were watching her, they weren't watching me. Mimi found her voice rather young. If she thought of something or wanted to do something, she was going to do it. I love that about her. I envy her for it because after four years of college I sometimes still wonder if I’ve found mine.

In college I finally became Jamilia, but who is that? I had no clue. Who am I when I’m not Mimi’s sister, or the Pastor's daughter, or someone's girlfriend? I had to relearn everything I knew.

Unfortunately, my idea of learning wasn’t as educational but more on the destructive side as I finally got a taste of freedom. But the weekends became the same. Party. Dance. Repeat. I was surrounded by “friends” but never felt more alone.

I realized the things that made me happy had nothing to do with other people. Honestly, I didn’t like being around people. People hurt you, but something I had to learn is they also love you. But as people walked in and out of my life — and love slowly turned into hurt — there was only one person who stayed. In times when I didn’t deserve it, I left him stranded and forgot how great his love is for me. There he is with his arms open … Jesus.

I’ve always known him, but because of what other people told me. I had to go to church every Sunday and bible studies on Wednesday. It was forced on me, but as I started to experience college and life worshiping Jesus became something I wanted to do instead of something I had to do.

As my time in Bloomsburg comes to an end, I can’t help but remember how amazing he is. Taking my senior portraits and wearing my cap and gown in a time when people who look like me don’t make it to graduation, especially not graduating from college.

At times when I'm walking back from school, and I look up to see the amazing painting on his canvas called earth, you can’t help but be in awe of his creation. There are a lot of things I’m not sure of, but the love he has for me is not to be questioned.

Four years later ...

I’m still that loner girl you see walking around college with her headphones on 1,000 wearing her personality as clothes — but instead of her head being down like when she was as a freshman — she struts like college is her runway (and it is).

I’m still that awkward, shy girl who only has to rehearse conversations twice now; but now I’m not afraid to say what I want and don’t want. I dance in the middle of the bar even if I’m the only one like it’s a late night in my bedroom.

This time I’m not afraid to be me without the embarrassment of not being cool. Maybe finding my voice isn’t about making friends or being outgoing, maybe it’s about finding me. I found my voice in my writing, in my amazing sense of style lol, in my faith, and in things I love and loved too much.

Maybe being cool is overrated ...

I'll stick to being me. She is me; I am her.

— Jamilia Hall, a senior communication studies major with an emphasis on organizational communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of Darby and is a fan of the Vampire Diaries.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

When you look in the mirror

In my marketing class, we’ve been talking a lot about “the self.”

When you wake up in the morning and take that first look in the mirror, who do you see? The actual self. Who do you want to see? The ideal self. And the gap in between? The fantasy self.

All these versions stare back at you simultaneously with the gaze of society, the male, and yourself. Society says skinny is in, but the boys say you look curvier. Your mom says you need to eat less, but what do you want?

I want to be strong.

Fitness saved my life more times than I can count. Working out was never about changing the way I looked. It was about changing the way I felt. Changing physically was just a bonus.

Every time I looked in the mirror, I saw someone I didn’t recognize. I saw someone that was displaying society's gaze of what I was supposed to look like instead of displaying my gaze. When I was by myself, I thought I was the most beautiful person but still I would find myself:

• skipping meals when someone commented on my weight,
• wearing a certain hairstyle because everyone “loved me in it’” even if it meant I’d have a headache for the next three days,
• waking up early to shave my armpits because people said it was “un-ladylike” to have hair under my arms.

Like seriously?! I guess if men find out we grow hair they’ll riot lol ... I say let them.

With each rep I’m gaining confidence, releasing anger that’s been trapped in my shadow for as long as I can remember because I was so exhausted from looking like someone else, I was afraid to let my hair down metaphorically and quite literally.

When I tell people I work out the question I get asked immediately is “How do you stay motivated?” This question doesn’t just apply to people who are trying to get started on their gym journey, this question applies to life.

Motivation wasn’t what I needed; it was self-discipline. My problem with motivation was that she never wanted to stick around, especially when things got hard and because of me being a full-time college student and also a full-time person who has no clue what she is doing, life was hard a lot.
Once I became friends with self-discipline I realized motivation was nice because motivation helped me, but self-discipline was going to make sure I got to where I needed to go.

We hear a lot about who we are and who we want to be, but not a lot about the in between. The fantasy self.

The fantasy self plays a bigger part in my journey than I’d like to admit. On days where I’m not out of class till 9 p.m. and every inch of me is crawling to the bus stop, but my brain forces me to keep walking towards the gym and most of the time I listen. Don’t get me wrong, there's times where I’m taking my butt onto the bus with no hesitation or remorse and the word “gym” is nowhere to be found in my vocabulary.

When in the gym I spend a lot of time getting to know myself. It points out every inch of my weaknesses with the biggest foam finger. But with weakness also comes strength. The strength of me starting when everyone is saying I/m not able to stay consistent. The confidence when I walk to my workout station in my all pink workout set in a place that’s dominated by men, and the glow of finally finding something that feels real in a world that’s content with being fake.

As a senior in college, there is an assumption that I am supposed to have my life together and a plan of what comes next. I have an idea of what comes next, but there are so many of my answers that start and end with I don’t know and honestly, I don’t know is okay and I don’t know is real.

I'm in college, in my early 20’s and nine times out of 10 I don’t even know what I'm having for dinner, but all this figuring it out is the fantasy self, the in-between.

I thank my fantasy self as it connects me to who I want to be and who I am. Without me not having all the answers it would not be a journey. I wouldn’t have anything to learn and no process to embrace. Even the smallest compliments wouldn’t be so impactful and so worth it especially on days where everything in front of me is dark but the spark of a small building that connects me, that brings me back to who I am.

The girl who is a beautiful disaster and doesn’t have all the answers, but that is why she is in college, that’s why she is trying to embrace all parts of herself in and outside of her room.

So, I ask …

When you look in the mirror, who do you see?

— Jamilia Hall, a senior communication studies major with an emphasis on organizational communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of Darby and is a fan of the Vampire Diaries.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

Authentically, unapologetically me

There may come a day when you realize the life you want isn’t the life you have despite listening to so-called society's rules of what to wear, how to act, and who to be.

It could happen when you’re a teenager or young adult, maybe even later in life. For me, it happened in college.

It starts with you walking the narrow line of perfection. You know … don’t speak unless you’re spoken to. Keep your head down. And most importantly do not under all circumstances, fall in love!!! Well, they were right about that one, lol.

I get why they call it falling, and boy did it hit hard when I landed. It was one of those loves that came when you least expected it — really at the most inconvenient time if you ask me — but still, it was a love that fought to be seen, felt, and heard.

Heartbreak is such a weird thing, one day everything is fine, I'm laughing with my friends. I’ve finally finished the work that my professor assigned two weeks prior, things are looking up! I can finally breathe without him. Then I am walking home and something so insignificant like someone who looks like him and just like that here I am again, Missing him.

This is the part where I said it came at the most inconvenient time. Firstly, I'm in college, and I'm trying to make something amazing out of myself and heartbreak is on my shoulders as I have my assignment due at 11:59 p.m. A job interview on Thursday, and a team presentation on Friday. At this point heartbreak is annoying.

My problem wasn’t the tornado of love, it was the aftermath.

You know, the part where inside it feels like every part of you is torn but externally everything just keeps rotating. You still have class in the morning and the two assignments due that night and your professor doesn’t care that you’ve had your first heartbreak and your ex doesn’t care that your heart is broken.

The only thing that kept me going was the certainty that one day I would see someone who looks like him and feel nothing. I will have the degree that I so desperately worked on while every inch of my body was aching, and I will celebrate and laugh, and it'll be filled with love and hope.

I'll always be that girl who wants the “boombox over his head outside the window” kind of love and the “get ready we’re going to the beach" love, but this time I’ll make sure the sunglasses I wear won’t be rose-colored.

I thought I had to be loved by someone for it to be considered love, for me to think I was worth loving. I did have to be loved by someone, but that person was me.

I needed to find within me a love that was so empowering, unconditional, and accepting that within all the constant battles of juggling college classes, the inconsistency of boys and friends, and just the simple fact that life is hard that she would still be standing. I needed to find self-love because I want it all, I want the best life for myself and how can I receive all this if I feel like I don’t deserve it?

Life doesn’t stop and nor should you in your pursuit of happiness. However, sometimes you never get the chance to truly heal unless you intentionally choose to be that girl.

That girl who wakes up and realizes she’s a bystander in her own life and then decides to be the main character, to become the best version of themselves — physically, mentally, and spiritually.

That girl who doesn’t want to carry around hurt anymore. That girl who doesn’t really want to listen to society's rubric of who to be.

So that girl starts going to the gym, starts looking inwardly to heal the broken parts of herself. She starts trusting her faith instead of herself and learns to love with balance and clarity.

It's not an easy process. You’re constantly battling with who you were, who you are, and who you want to be — and of those all live simultaneously inside.

That girl — she is me, and I am her.

— Jamilia Hall, a senior communication studies major with an emphasis on organizational communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of Darby and is a fan of the Vampire Diaries.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife