M&L: What is your weekday routine as an English major/minor?

HH: My weekday routine as an English major/minor typically begins with me ignoring the three alarms I set for myself. Afterward, I gaslight myself into thinking I work best when rushing under pressure and manage to make it to my first class right on time. If it’s a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, then that class is Rhetorical Grammar. If it’s a Tuesday or Thursday, then that class is a Nonfiction workshop. Depending on the day, I either have back-to-back English classes or am working in the Student Development and Success Center. At night, I spend my time reading fantasy or romance books and working on my homework for the next day.

M&L: What are your weekends like?

HH: On weekends, I either stay in town to do some volunteer work for my sorority, or I head back home to spend time with my friends and family. On the Saturdays that I find myself back home, I’m typically dragged to Barnes & Noble in Peoria by my best friends before spending the night watching horror movies and discussing our current favorite books.

M&L: What book are all your English peers reading that lies beyond assigned texts for class?

HH: Well, as far as I’m aware there is one duology my friends are currently reading that I have yet to begin: Letters of Enchantment, which consists of Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, written by Rebecca Ross. It’s a short fantasy duology about Gods at war and enemies to lovers.

M&L: What book has changed your life as an undergraduate?

HH: Surprisingly enough, I would say that one book that has changed my life as an undergrad would be Hannah Grace’s Wildfire and Daydream. I picked the series up last summer when there were only two books—Icebreaker and Wildfire-—and found that I could relate to the second book in many different ways. They are meant to be fun, cutesy novels about a group of friends in college, but they surprised me by touching on deeper topics about family, friends, and college life in general. Reading about the main female character in Wildfire as she chases her dreams of being an author and owning a bookstore really reminded me of why I chose to major in English in the first place.

M&L: Where do you hang out on campus?

HH: When I’m not working in Memorial Hall or attending classes in Simpkins, I often find myself relaxing back in my dorm in Washington Hall. I was lucky enough to score a super single this year, and am definitely enjoying having the room all to myself. It’s the perfect place for me to kick back in my plushy lounge chair to catch up on my TBR list.

M&L: Where do you hang out off of campus?

HH: Off of campus, I’m usually hitting up the Goodwill or Walmart, or I’m back home in Pekin, IL, relaxing with my friends and family. Whenever I’m back home, I can typically be found either browsing the bookshelves at the East Peoria Target or across the street at Noodles and Co. with my best friend.

M&L: What has been or will be your biggest adventure as an undergraduate English major/minor?

HH: I believe my biggest adventure as an undergraduate English major/minor has been getting published in last semester’s school literary magazine, Elements. Being published for the first time, even if it was just in a school magazine, felt like an enormous accomplishment to me. It was something I never thought would actually happen, but was so proud of when it did happen. It was an adventure for sure as I wrote and rewrote my short fiction piece a million times, reaching out to my best friends for their advice along the way. It’s definitely something I cannot wait to try doing again this year.