Today we feature Destiny Hall, a first-generation college student and senior double majoring in Writing Arts and English with specializations in Shakespeare Studies and Creative Writing. She also has a minor in Women and Gender studies and is from Gloucester City, NJ (Camden County). Destiny shares her thoughts on her major, feminism and her future.
Why did you pick your major?
I was always super into writing. I originally came in with a Political Science major, but I just did not fall in love with it. I eventually picked English because I missed reading in my major. Women and Gender Studies happened accidentally. I realized I had all courses but two because I’m really into feminism. Shakespeare, that was an accident too, I only have to take one more course. I love Shakespeare so I just followed my bliss when it came to choosing everything.
What suggested readings do you have for somebody who’s interested in learning more about feminism?
“A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Woolf and “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen. I think you can learn as much [through] feminist texts as you can in anti-feminist texts.
Are you involved with feminist movements on campus?
I’m the editor-in-chief at Her Campus, and I love it so much.
How is feminism and the feminist movement on campus?
Whenever I take a Women and Gender Studies course or an English course I really feel at home with feminism, I really really do. It’s just that I never really had a community of people to talk about stuff like talking about that. Sometimes I have had interactions with people and it definitely wasn’t very women-oriented or intersexual. So there was always that duality of being a racially ambiguous person of color and being a woman. I don’t think it’s a Rowan problem. I think that people who are part of the world go to Rowan and I had weird experiences with them — but other than that I love the community of feminism here.
What would you share with a future student interested in your major?
For writing, I think that you just need to be brave and take risks. When you start as a novice writer you write to write but as you get further along you realize that writing is different from the craft of writing and you need to learn how to grow as a writer. Also how to put your ego to the side to really become the writer that you were meant to be. Show your work too and don’t be afraid to change the things about your writing because if you enter Rowan the same writer that you would leave Rowan you didn’t learn anything. You need to learn how to change and grow and grow into this craft of writing.
What are your goals?
I am applying to grad school for an MFA.
What impact would you like to have on the world and your field?
I really want to write a book someday. I don’t even want to be a big name. I want to put myself out there and say I did this. When I teach I want to be a professor of writing, hopefully creative writing, but I know I’m going to do other stuff too. I want to share my passion for writing and teach people how to write, how to articulate writing and, if I could, just inspire one person or change someone else’s mindset.
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Story and photos by:
Stephanie Batista, sophomore music industry major