Kimberlee Ford is currently a freshman undergraduate at Western Illinois University, majoring in English, with an interest in Creative Writing, and minoring in Theatre. She has enjoyed her first few months at WIU, attending church and faith-based activities, spending time with new friends, joining in on campus events and organizations, and enjoying what Macomb has to offer. She enjoys spending time with family, writing, performing, and being creative in any circumstance.

Her interest in writing started small in her youth, through projects, English classes, and clubs all through high school. It has grown since, with a specific love for fiction, short stories, and the writing behind the plot, emotion, and humor in theatre. She hopes to continue writing about what is most important to her, making others smile with her writing, and providing an entryway to the imagination we get when we’re invested in a good story. Here is a look into her first months at WIU as an English major.

M&L: What brought you to the English department at WIU?

KF: I enjoyed my English classes in high school. I would always go and do homework for that class first, and when I get a good book, I enjoy reading it. When I did projects for 4-H, I would always do short stories and fiction and really enjoyed that, and I guess that all fits into storytelling, so that is kind of what I liked the most. As for WIU, I had been here for the ILMEA choral festival before and was more familiar with the campus. I liked the distance from home (about two hours away), which is definitely reachable but branching out, as well. It is like a happy medium. I also liked the size and the programs.

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

KF: My weekly routine as an English major includes two core English major classes during the week: Critical Methods of Reading and Writing and Introduction to Creative Writing. Even though my class start times vary, I spend most afternoons and evenings at the library after my classes end at around 3 p.m., and my afternoon and evening calls home keep me encouraged before and after I study. The library is the study space where I stay the most focused, though sometimes I enjoy working in the lounge or dining hall. My homework includes reading, writing papers, and writing creatively. I find reading to be the most time consuming, and creative writing the most natural, and I am almost always working on a paper for any one of my classes. I usually read in the evenings and in the mornings before class to keep up with class book discussions three times a week.

M&L: What are your weekends like as an English major?

KF: Right now, I haven’t had very many weekends yet. I balance weekends at home with weekends at school, and, as an English major, I always complete my reading homework over the weekend for my English class on Monday. I’ve found that weekends are good times to study for exams and get big projects, such as papers done, as well as catch up from the week. I try to work at least one campus event, a church service at the Crossing Church, and a longer study session into my weekend. The campus seems to calm down on the weekends, and I try to get as much done as I can to prepare to be all over campus again the next week.

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

KF: The library. While the weather’s been really nice, I like hanging out underneath the Union by the metal Rocky statue. The dining hall and the lounge are also good spots for working on homework.

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

KF: Since I’m new to campus, I haven’t had a chance to explore many things off campus yet, and I’m still getting comfortable. I have gone to the Crossing Church and have made many trips to Walmart, and I’ve gone to several places in Macomb with my friends.

M&L: What piece of literature (a book, film, music, or anything narratively driven) has changed your life?

KF: The book that has changed my life is the Bible; I always try to read it consistently. I also really enjoy the genre of fiction. When I find a great fiction book, I can’t put it down and I look for extra time in my day so that I can keep reading it. The Hunger Games is definitely one of those books, as well as the first Divergent book, which I flew through.

M&L: What has been your biggest adventure as an undergraduate English student?

KF: Really, the biggest thing that I’ve done so far that was really a pivotal, big change has been just moving in. After move-in day, when I was in my dorm by myself, I thought, “Wow, this is a big thing I’m doing!” There are definitely other things that I have done since I’ve been on campus that I have really enjoyed. I went to the “Gravity” show at the Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts and that was really cool. I’ve also made some great friends and have gotten involved in many great organizations and activities since I’ve been here.

M&L: What will be your biggest adventure as an undergraduate English student?

KF: Looking ahead, I am not 100% sure what’s going to happen. I’m really looking forward to the classes that you get to choose within the English major, such as fiction and playwriting classes that I’m interested in. Right now, I am taking some of the core English major classes. I look forward to learning the skills needed to write faith-based creative stories after I graduate. For right now, growing, being involved, taking advantage of opportunities, and learning in my English classes are my current adventure.

Edited by Karissa L Geisinger