A List of ALL the Things that I was Involved in at Meredith College

As my good friend Hannah and I would say to one another, overcommitment at its finest! If I have not done it, then I don’t know what I didn’t do back in college. I most definitely overcommitted to all of the activities and methods of involvement on my college campus. The ways that I have been a leader and did different activities was most definitely one for the books. Since graduating college this past weekend, it has been nice to be able to reflect on my four years at the amazing Meredith College. Today, I am sharing all of the things that I was involved in on Meredith’s campus.

Freshmen Year

Planning my first-ever Meredith event – a painting party social!
  • Big Sis/Little Sister Co-Chair – in this position, I served with a friend of mine as the co-chair for Meredith’s Big Sister/Little Sister program. The Big Sister/Little Sister program at Meredith pairs every Freshmen (Little Sis) with a Junior (Big Sis) and it is such an exciting an amazing asset of my college. In this role, I coordinated a fundraiser for a Meredith Lux tote bag and a Big/Lil Social painting party called Cupcakes & Canvases with my Big Sis class – the Class of 2019. It was all super fun and such a great way to kick off my Freshmen year!
  • Honors Program Scholar’s Weekend Coordinator – Scholar’s Weekend is hosted every February at Meredith College. It is a weekend for accepted students to interview for academic-specific programs like the Honors Program, Teaching Fellows (for aspiring teachers), Art, Music, Interior Design, etc. I had such an amazing time with my experience at Scholar’s Weekend that I decided to coordinate it myself to help host and welcome the Class of 2022!
  • Fire & Water Committee Class of 2019 Liaison – Fire & Water is the first-ever Freshmen-only Tradition (event) that occurs every Spring. At this event, everyone burns a bad memory and floats a good memory and there is a dinner to commemorate all of us surviving and making it through our Freshmen year of college. I got to attend weekly committee meetings which was super fun and help make decisions for this event with other committee members. My specific role was to coordinate my Big Sis Class of 2019 in coming to “surprise” our class at the end of the event. Serving on this committee was one of my favorite things to do during my Freshmen year, especially getting to help set up and clean up the event with jumping into Meredith’s fountain at the end of it all!
  • Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society member – My Freshmen year I got to join the Alpha Lambda Delta Freshmen year Honor Society.
  • Honors Program Fall Trip Planning Committee Member – The Honors Program which I was apart of all four years at Meredith has a weekend Fall Trip to a Southern East Coast city. My Freshmen year, I got to plan the Honors Fall Trip 2018 to Washington, DC one of my hometowns. The Dean of the Honors Program helped us plan it all and he loved getting to have my expertise on the committee. It was also fun to be able to meet others from all other years at Meredith on that committee!
Pre-Scholar’s Weekend photo to welcome in the Class of 2022!
Cupcakes & Canvases paintings with my Big Sis Stephanie!
The whole Fire & Water committee post-event!
The Big Sis “surprise” was successfully planned! My friend Cassie & I enjoying some flowers from our Big’s to celebrate.
My Big Sis Stephanie and I at Fire & Water!
The best part of Fire & Water – jumping into the fountain with my good friend Lexie!!!
The Washington, DC trip my Sophomore year was successfully planned. Here, my good friend Kaylee and I are on an illuminated monuments tour along the National Mall.

Sophomore Year

The Honor Code Ceremony – a big event to end Freshmen orientation. I got to experience it yet again as a Freshmen Student Adviser.
  • Big Sis/Little Sister Co-Chair – I was happily able to serve as the Big Sister/Little Sister Co-Chair *again* for my Sophomore year of college! While I did not do too much more than my Freshmen year the next year in this role, I got to help coordinate and sell shirts and fundraiser items for my fellow classmates who also served in Class of 2021 officer positions – something that I really loved doing!
  • Honors Program Scholar’s Weekend Coordinator – After successfully coordinating Scholar’s Weekend my Freshmen year, I got the opportunity to coordinate it again, but this time with my two good friends Kaylee and Lexie and this time welcoming in our Little Sis class – the Class of 2023! It was a super special and fun weekend for me, Kaylee, and Lexie.
  • Alpha Lamda Delta Honor Society Induction Ceremony Co-Chair – this role was my first of many serving on an Executive Board for an on-campus organization. I got to plan and serve as the Co-Chair for the Alpha Lambda Delta Induction Ceremony in April 2019. It was super fun and also the first time I ever lit a candle in Meredith’s Chapel (luckily, we all survived LOL!). At the same time, I served as an active member of Alpha Lambda Delta’s Executive Board where I got to contribute to making decisions for the organization and even help with a fundraiser!
  • Honors Program Fall Trip Planning Committee Chief Information Officer – I *yet again* served on the Honors Program, but this time as the Chief Information Officer. My good friend Kaylee served as the Committee Chair, so she nominated me to be the Chief Information Officer which was super fun! The Fall 2019 trip was to Charleston, South Carolina and it was my first-ever time going there so it was a blast and oh so exciting!
  • First Year Experience (FYE) Student Assistant – One of my favorite roles was getting to serve as a student assistant for the First Year Experience (FYE) Freshmen-only class. I assisted this course with two staff members in the Alumnae House and it was such a blast. I began connect with my two instructors (one of which was my host of all things at Scholar’s Weekend and accepted a job at Meredith as an alum). In this course, I got to help Freshmen adjust to on-campus life and tell them ALL about all of the fun things at Meredith and what makes Meredith College Meredith College.
  • Freshmen Student Adviser (SA) – Another one of my favorite roles at Meredith was getting to be a mentor to incoming Freshmen as a Freshmen Student Adviser (SA). An SA is essentially an orientation group leader for a set group of incoming Freshmen who sticks around as a friend and mentor to that same group of students throughout their entire Freshmen year.
Move-in day with all of the other Class of 2021 Freshmen Student Advisers.
Honor Code Ceremony with my advising group!
Scholar’s Weekend 2019 with Kaylee after we successfully coordinated the event!
Another successfully Honors Fall Trip 2019 to Charleston, South Carolina. Here, me and my good friends Kaylee, Hannah, and Miranda and I are on the dinner cruise on the Spirit of Charleston.
Kaylee and I showing off our Meredith Angel pride along the Charleston waterfront!

Junior Year

Freshmen Student Adviser welcome dinner!
  • Honors Program Fall Trip Planning Committee Chair – Even though COVID-19 hit at the end of my Spring 2020 semester, I still got to take charge and chair the planning for the now-cancelled Fall 2020 trip to Asheville, North Carolina. I lead the initiative to postpone the trip to the Spring 2021 semester which was sadly cancelled, too. However, I am still very grateful for the experience that I had and the opportunity to still lead.
  • Class of 2021 Elections Board Representative – I got to serve as a Class Representative for Meredith’s Elections Board, which is in charge of all of the elections for each class each year. My favorite part about this role was getting to watch everyone who ran for a class position during the 2020-2021 academic year’s campaign video to ensure that they met Meredith’s Elections Board standards.
  • Honors Program Scholar’s Day Coordinator – I served for my third and final year as a coordinator for Scholar’s Weekend which switched to a day known as Scholar’s Day in February 2020. This time around, I got to interview four candidates for the Honors Program with my fellow Math professor and Honors Committee member Dr. Andreae. I had a blast and still got to help coordinate, too!
  • Residents Housing Association (RHA) Publicity Chair – One of the highlights of my Junior year at Meredith was getting to run the social media page for the Residents Housing Association (RHA). RHA’s purpose is to connect students and ensure their safety and wellbeing in on-campus life at Meredith. I got to design graphics and flyers and advertise them, too. I also got to serve on RHA’s Executive Board and attend regular meetings to help make decisions for upcoming events, activities, and all around campus life things.
  • Canaday Math & Computer Science Club (CMCS) Events Chair – The Canaday Math & Computer Science Club (CMCS) is the organization that is student-run and connects students within my department and those interested in activities and events run by my department. As the Events Chair, I got to decorate the board for CMCS within my department’s Common Area and connect students in my department through some fun events.
  • First Year Experience (FYE) Student Assistant – This was my second year serving as a student assistant for the First Year Experience Freshmen-only course with the same ladies from the Alumnae House. This time around, my Lil’s Lelia and Addy were in my class which was super fun! I also got to send out weekly email updates and I made a guide to share with my students and others assisting the same course, in order to help Freshmen adapt and adjust to Meredith College and life in Raleigh.
  • Angels for Disability Advocacy (ADA) Vice President – My best friend Laurie is President of Angels for Disability Advocacy (ADA). This amazing organization brings about disability advocacy and awareness across campus and beyond. It was fun to be Laurie’s right hand woman and also interview other fellow officers for roles for the following year.
  • Freshmen Student Adviser (SA) – This was my second year serving as a Freshmen Student Adviser (SA). My Junior year, I got a great group of ladies who were interested in pursuing a STEM degree which was super fun and I had only 5 girls. I loved getting to show them around and have a much smaller group!
Move-in day to welcome in the Class of 2023 with my fellow Freshmen Student Advisers!
Move-in day with my good friend Chandler!
Honor Code ceremony with my advising group.
RHA training during orientation.
Post-Pancakes at 11 (an RHA-hosted event) with my fellow RHA Executive Board members and advisers.
Our final Scholar’s Day event is planned with my good friends Kaylee and Lexie.

Senior Year

Post-Class Day with my good friends Maureen, Miranda, Nat, Allison, Lexie, Sophie, Kaylee, Julia, and Chandler!
  • Class of 2021 Fundraising Chair – One of my favorite parts of this odd Senior year was getting to serve as my class’s Fundraising Chair. I planned fundraisers at a local Chick-Fil-A, three t-shirt fundraisers, and one mask fundraiser. They were all a blast to do and a great way to connect with my classmates and others across campus. I have loved receiving adorable t-shirts over the years, so it was super rewarding to be behind the scenes allowing for others to receive some t-shirts, too!
  • Residents Housing Association Publicity Chair – Just like my Junior year, I continued to run RHA’s social media pages. This time around, most of my posts were about COVID-19 safety, since this year was mostly virtual. I also had a Co-Chair which lessened my role’s work load and she was super sweet and it was super nice, too.
  • Angels for Disability Advocacy (ADA) Vice President – My best friend Laurie was and still is the President for Angels for Disability Advocacy (ADA). It was super fun to be able to work alongside her in planning some super cool and fun events for ADA (all virtual, too!). We also coordinated an adorable t-shirt fundraiser and my roommate Sophie who was the Treasurer and I planned a panel event with her Big Sis Briana, as well!
  • Canaday Math & Computer Science Club (CMCS) President – Since being CMCS’s Events Chair, I decided to move up the ladder and become the organization’s President. In this role, I was able to connect a ton of my department to one another even during these unprecedented times. I planned a virtual panel with Meredith women who are STEM alumnae that had over 80 people come to on Zoom with other STEM-oriented organizations. I, then, joined forces with those organizations again for a STEM Trivia Night in honor of Pi Day (March 14) and an informal Q&A with the Chief Information Officer of SONOS Ruth Sleeter. Throughout this entire year as the CMCS President, I have thoroughly enjoyed my role and will miss it alongside my organization’s adviser Dr. Andreae!
  • First Year Experience (FYE) Student Assistant – My final year as a First Year Experience Student Assistant! This year, I served as a Student Assistant for a tiny Honors-only seminar with my Honors Adviser. It was super fun and special for each of our girls. I also loved that I got to individualize each of the girl’s experiences in the class, in order to best help them and what they’re interested in doing while at Meredith.
  • Freshmen Student Adviser – Also my final year as a Freshmen Student Adviser! I had a group of four lovely ladies in the Honors Program, each of which I truly bonded with. It was such a special group, despite having to meet mostly on Zoom. Such a great group to wrap up my Student Advising time at Meredith, too.
  • Honors Program Spring 2022 Trip Planning Committee Chair – Since having to move the Fall 2020 trip to Asheville, North Carolina to Spring 2022, I got to do some market research on making a COVID-19 safe and friendly trip for my Honors classmates to come. At the same time, I got to be apart of the decision-making process for this trip to making it a Spring 2022 trip and handing off my role as Chair to my good friend Hannah.
  • Study Abroad Peer Ambassador – I was fortunate enough to be able to study abroad in Summer 2018 in both Tuscany, Italy and London, England and Summer 2019 in San Ignacio, Belize. So, I decided to become a Study Abroad Peer Ambassador in order to mentor other students who want to study abroad, too, and provide them with hope that we will be able to travel again and that they can despite COVID-19 slowing down our travels and especially those international adventures.
  • Honors Program T-Shirt Subcommittee Chair – Every year, the Honors Program designs and sells an Honors Program t-shirt. This year, I got to chair the subcommittee that sold and designed that shirt. This role allowed me to combine my Fundraising Chair skillset for my Class with my love for the Honors Program. It was also a blast to be able to meet with and get to know underclassmen in the Honors Program!
  • Class Day Tri-Chair – Class Day is one of the many traditions (events) at Meredith College. Class Day is an event to honor the graduating class each year and their Little Sis Class (Class of 2023) makes numerals out of ivy and daisies in the class year numerals to honor their Big Sis Class (aka my Class – Class of 2021). I got to plan this event as one of the Senior Tri-Chairs with my friends Maggie and Miranda. My major role was coordinating the Class Day Fundraiser which was a t-shirt and mask. I also got to plan a lot of other event aspects, such as speaking at the event and recruiting speakers, coordinating with my Little Sis class, and much more. This event was a blast and it was such an honor to chair a Meredith tradition, too!!!
  • Honors Committee Member At-Large – As an active member of the Honors Program, I was offered a seat on the Honors Committee as a Member at Large. It was super fun to be able to help make decisions about the Honors Program as a whole with other students and professors who are also apart of it.
Welcoming in the Class of 2024 in COVID-19-safe fashion with my friend Karli!
Post-Zoom Freshmen Student Adviser training with my good friends Miranda, Chandler, and Julia.
Serving as a Marshall for the belated Class of 2020 graduation ceremonies to get ready for Class Day with my Trip-Chairs Maggie and Miranda!
The best part of being a Class of 2020 Marshall?! Getting to see my friends from the Class of 2020 such as my Math major friend Val!
My good friend Alanna was a Class Day and graduation Marshall for my Class Day and it was so special to have her at both!!!
Post-Class Day with my amazing Tri-Chairs Miranda and Maggie!
Obligatory friend group picture after a successful Class Day with Lexie, Sophie, Kaylee, Julia, and Chandler!

It has been such a blessing to be able to serve as a leader and officer in many different ways on Meredith’s campus. While I will miss being able to serve in the capacities that I have throughout my time at Meredith, I look forward to the many ways that I will be able to contribute to the world that we live in moving forward in my post-graduation life. Here’s to many more years of overcommitment!

XOXO – Katie <3

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A List of All of the College Classes that I Took

As a soon-to-be college graduate, I decided that I would take y’all on a trip through memory lane. Today, I am rounding up all of the college courses that I took as an Honors Student with a Mathematics degree and minors in Statistics, Data Science, and Website Development. When I started at Meredith, I had NO clue what I was going to study, but here we are today. Things do work out and plans do change, but in the end you are meant to be right where you are for where you will be. Time will tell!!!

Fall 2017:

  • Honors English 111 – Pretty much the college version of introductory English. I took this class as apart of my Honors curriculum and was in an Honors-only section with others in my program. I met some of my best friends in this class. Our professor would put our writing errors on the board anonymously and everyone would critique them and we all hated it, so our bonds grew during those trying times!
  • Calculus 1 – I took this class 5 days a week and it was a four-credit hour course. My professor was a male professor who was all about women’s empowerment which was amazing. I also overslept my final in this class, but luckily my professor was super understanding with it all and I ended up successfully taking my final exam.
  • Biblical Literature – My professor brought her one-eyed Yorkie Frankie to class all the time and it was amazing. Despite not knowing much about the Bible, I did really well in this class and was willing to learn. I thought I would fail because I’m not very knowledgable on the Bible!
  • History in the 20th Century – I loved this class and my professor – she truly broke down the history and shed light on the populations that were most adversely affected in our world then and now. It was really powerful and so important to know, too.
  • First Year Experience – This was a Freshmen-only class that oriented Freshmen at Meredith with college life there and living in Raleigh. I loved this class and working and mentoring other college Freshmen that I actually assisted it my Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years!!!
  • French 3 – My high school French teacher literally taught me NOTHING, so I was shocked when I tested into French 3 in college. French 3 was the highest level of French needed for the general education requirement. I was so nervous I would be behind in that class, but my professor was so generous as everyone in the class turned out to be too.

Spring 2018:

  • English 200 – I took this class with one of my all-time favorite professors that is not in the Math & Computer Science Department: Dr. Walton. Dr. Walton is a Shakespeare expert, so we of course read some Shakespeare in class! The theme that he chose for our class throughout the semester was sisterhood and I even remember writing a paper on the Meredith College sisterhood in his class. As someone who only has a biological brother, I loved getting to embrace my sisters at Meredith. I also really enjoyed getting to know Dr. Walton, too.
  • Beginning Programming – Initially, I wanted to be a Computer Science major, but I did not do too hot in this class the first time around. So, I retook it my Junior year and my passion for website development and coding actually began to grow. It just wasn’t my Freshmen year!
  • Calculus 2 – My roommate Sophie and I actually became good friends in this class. We sat next to each other the entire semester and it was amazing. I also had a bunch of my fellow Math major friends and sisters in this class and I got to know them better in it all semester which was amazing.
  • Self Defense – This was 1/2 of my 8am classes in college. It was such a struggle to get up, despite it only being offered for the second half of the semester! The skills taught in this class were super valuable, and I wish I remembered them and think I would if it wasn’t at 8am that I learned it all.
  • Christian Thought – For my Ethics general education requirement, I took a course on applying Christian thought to societal topics in today’s world – think LGBTQ+ rights, abortion, etc. It was very interesting and empowering. It was all about social change and looking beyond out own worlds.

Summer 2018 – Italy:

  • Arts & Artifacts Italy Edition – This course was all about learning about Italian Life and Culture in Italy. We visited the towns of Anghiari, Arezzo, and Siena in Tuscany along with Florence. Pretty much the highlight of this course was learning how to navigate life in Italy independently and writing about our educational experiences.
  • Nonverbal Communication – This class was super cool to take, especially in Italy! My professor taught us some mind-blowing facts that make total sense about nonverbal communication in our world in both the United States and abroad. It is super neat to know how nonverbal communication all plays into how we live our lives wherever we live.
  • Yoga – Yoga was taught by a top blogger in Italy for Yoga who just happened to be living right by the Tuscan town that I studied abroad in. So, Meredith College brought her in to teach us all yoga. Learning the origins of yoga and doing it in Italy was such a neat experience!

Summer 2018 – England:

  • Arts & Artifacts England Edition – Like the course that I took in Italy, this course was all about life and culture in England. As apart of this course, we were required to go visit different sights all across London and in Europe. We went to go see a church service at Westminster Abbey (where Prince William and Kate Middleton got married!) which was extremely neat and we were required to visit St. Paul’s Cathedral (where Princess Diana got married!), Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and Windsor Castle (where Harry and Meghan got married!).
  • Shakespeare’s Theatre – This course was taught by Dr. Walton as well. In this class, we actually saw Shakespeare plays all across London and in Bath, England as well as Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It was a super fun time and getting to see Dr. Walton’s passion for Shakespeare where it all began grew mine even more.

Fall 2018:

  • The Life of Migrant Farmworkers – I took this Honors-only class as a part of my Honors curriculum. This class was taught by a Spanish professor who had a service focus and is such an awesome person, too. We learned all about the lives of migrant farmworkers in the United States and how they are extremely undervalued and undercooked in our world today.
  • Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning – This class was pretty much the gateway to theoretical math that goes over most people’s heads – including my own. I met a lot of my Math major classmates in this class that were not in my Calculus 2 class the prior semester.
  • Visual Merchandising – I took this class at the point of where I thought I would be a Fashion Merchandising and Math double major. However, that changed and that is OKAY! For this class, I got to create store displays with my friend Briana at two stores in a nearby shopping center and model clothing for a fashion show put on by my classmates and I in this course.
  • Calculus 3 – This class is where I learned about 3-D graphs which was interesting. It was pretty much calculus on steroids, but all super interesting.

Spring 2019:

  • Linear Algebra – This class was all about matrices and taught by my now Academic Advisor who then helped me to declare my major. In this class is where I learned my true potential as a Math major!
  • Math Seminar – Math seminar was pretty much a course about careers in Mathematics for Math majors. I recall feeling so nervous, as I had no idea what I wanted to do or if I even wanted to stick out with a Math degree. However, my friends helped me realize that I could and that I belonged when I didn’t think I did.
  • Introduction to Statistics for Math Majors – Yes, my school offered a Math majors-only Statistics lecture. This course is where I met my Thesis Advisor and started to collaborate with him on Honors projects. My passion for statistics and analytics also grew from this course!
  • Principles of Sociology – I took this class with my friend Lexie as a part of our General Education requirement. It was an interesting course to say the least. However, I think I drove my professor crazy with my obsession with weddings whenever she brought up how she didn’t like them!
  • Environmental Policy – I took this class simply for fun! In here, I got to learn all about environmental policy within the political world and how every United States President has done when it came to their environmental policy. I also did a project on corn in this class, so that was fun too.
  • Principles of Marketing – I LOVED this class! My passions for business and marketing only grew when taking this course. I loved it because I learned all about people and their desires and what drives them when purchasing products as consumers. I almost declared a Marketing minor, but I did not have the room too.

Summer 2019 – Belize:

  • Arts & Artifacts Belize Edition – Like in Italy and England, this class was all about Belize. We visited the Belize Zoo, Lamanai Mayan Ruins, and the Barton Creek Cave. A big emphasis of the course was helping to volunteer at a local school. There was also a strong emphasis placed on the history of Belize and how its history shaped it into the nation that it is today.
  • Research – Yes, I did my first-ever research project in Belize. I interviewed 6-8 teachers in Belize on teaching students with disabilities, in order to gain insight into special education in the rainforest region of Cayo that I was living and studying abroad in. It was really insightful and impactful!

Fall 2019:

  • Abstract Algebra – This is one of the most challenging math courses offered. Little did I know, I would actually enjoy Abstract Algebra. Luckily, I also had many of my fellow Math major friends in that class, too.
  • Probability & Statistics – As apart of my Statistics minor, I took this course to learn more about probability within statistics.
  • Advertising and Sales Promotion – When I was thinking I could still acquire a Marketing minor, I took this course. It was all about advertising products and ignited my passion for consumer insight surveys – hence why I do annual reader surveys here on The Pink Chickadee.
  • Pilates – Yes, I took Pilates with my good friend Hannah. It was super fun and relaxing since we both had extremely stressful semesters. I can never forget when Hannah and I had to each “instruct” the class on a Pilates exercise and we couldn’t stop laughing at each other the entire time!
  • Beginning Programming – This was the semester that I retook Beginning Programming in Java and feel in love with programming!

Spring 2020:

  • Object Oriented Programming – This class was the 2nd level of Beginning Programming. It was challenging but also really cool!
  • Introduction to Data Analysis – After wanting to go into data analytics for quite some time, I was extremely excited when my academic advisor told me that our department would be offering a class in it! We learned JMP software which was fun. My class had only five of us in it which allowed for a unique bond between us all as we were the guinea pigs. My passion for the subject of data analytics only grew from here. Hence, my minor in Data Science!
  • Introduction to Biology – I had to take Biology lecture as apart of my general education and Honors requirements.
  • Biology Lab for Honors – Along with my Biology lecture, I had to take a Biology Lab which was specifically for Honors students and only for Honors students.
  • Bayesian Statistics – This course was a special topics in statistics course that I took for my minor in Statistics. It was super cool as I got to learn an entire world of probability that isn’t really taught in the introductory level Statistics courses. It was also taught by my Thesis Advisor!
  • Mathematical Modeling – I loved this class! I got to learn MATLAB and create some really cool mathematical models to predict future trends and data. We created math models in a variety of disciplines, including event planning. My favorite part was getting to create a math model on the product life cycle of Jack Rogers sandals for my final project.
  • Databases – This was my 2/2 8am classes here at Meredith. It was a 1 credit class that met for 3 weeks and I learned how to create and use databases in Microsoft Access. A lot of my friends were in there, which made it super fun!

Summer 2020:

  • Introduction to Website Development – This class is where I learned how to code in HTML and CSS. It also grew my passion for website development and thus allowed me to declare my third minor in Website Development. I also used the skills that I learned in this class to code this amazing site that you are on now!

Fall 2020:

  • Website Design and Databases – This is the second level of Introduction to Website Development. I got to learn JavaScript, JQuery, PHP, and SQL. My passion for website development only grew more from there!
  • Statistics 2 – Pretty much the second level of Statistics 1. It was pretty basic but also fun because I got to analyze data on this site for my final project.
  • Principles of Data Science – The second level of Introduction to Data Analysis. I got to learn R in this class and fell head over heels for R and its uses. Only 2 of my 4 classmates were in this class with me and our bonds grew a ton that semester. It was a really fun and special class that was also filled with a ton off empowerment!
  • Honors Thesis in Mathematics – I also started my Honors Thesis this semester which was amazing. I have been working alongside my Thesis Advisor all year long. In the Fall, I learned how to use Python and learned about different time series forecasting and machine learning models.
  • Career Development – This was a 1-credit course taught by two lovely ladies in the Office of Career Planning here at Meredith. It was all about female empowerment when it came to searching for a job and deciding what to do in your post-graduate life. It was a class that was for ME and my development which was refreshing.
  • Fitness Fusion – I took this online fitness course and did workouts in Yoga, Strength Training, Cardio Dance, and something else that I forget LOL!

Spring 2021:

  • Honors Thesis in Mathematics – This Spring semester, I wrapped up my Honors Thesis. In the Math Department, Honors Theses take a year to complete so I was right on track. This semester, I applied concepts learned the past Fall 2020 semester and wrote it all up in the form of a paper and presented it all too. It has been incredible to watch it all come together!
  • Discrete Mathematics – I am taking this class for my Website Development minor and it is pretty much an introduction to theoretical math for Computer Science majors.
  • History of Pandemics – This course is an Honors-only section on the history of pandemics in our world. Terrifyingly enough, there have been pandemics which have occurred once every century since at least the 1600’s. It is such an eye-opening class and an important reminder.
  • Website Development Special Study – Currently, I am working alongside my website development professor to create my own site using the concepts that I learned in my other website development courses and more. It has been super cool!
  • Regression – This is the final class that I have with my Thesis advisor. I have had him for every semester since Spring 2019 and my Thesis, too. It’s bittersweet! In this class, we are using R which I love and learning ALL about regression which is a super fun topic.
  • Public Speaking – The theme of this class is female empowerment and let me tell y’all it is AMAZING! My professor is all about uplifting everyone and her energy is truly contagious. It’s been such a beautiful class and a great final in-person undergraduate class to have!!!

Honestly, going through all of my college courses definitely brought back ALL the feels. It was also super fun to take a walk through memory lane, too. So many memories come from inside the classroom, believe it or not!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Interview with Small Business Owner Cassie of Cassies Designs

Hey y’all! Spread some confetti in the air, because, today, I have a very special post with a real special friend of mine: Cassie of the Etsy shop Cassie’s Designs. As of right now, we are doing a SUPER FUN monogrammed champagne flute set and $15 Target gift card giveaway on both of our Instagram pages ALL WEEK! Cassie and I met while interviewing for the Honors Program at Meredith. She was, in fact, the first friend that I made at Meredith. Over the past three years, we have grown closer as friends who share a love for our sweet school Meredith College and both have their own side hustle’s. Through it all, she has truly been a special friend and more importantly a blessing in my life. I hope that y’all enjoy learning more about Cassie’s story to becoming the one woman show behind Cassie’s Designs and can gain a bit of wisdom from this strong sister of mine!!!

Tell me a bit about yourself!

My name is Cassie and I am the one woman show that operates Cassie’s Designs. I am from a small town in North Carolina called Walnut Cove. I graduated from Meredith College in 2019 with my Bachelors of Arts in Criminology and minors in Sociology and Pre-Law. Go odds! Currently, I attend Wake Forest University, where I am obtaining my Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. My ultimate goal is to open a therapy farm for at-risk children and adolescents. When I’m not crafting, or schooling, I enjoy taking my pup on long walks, reading, watching The Golden Girls on Hulu, and cooking. 

Share three words that describe yourself!

  1. Creative
  2. Empathetic 
  3. Humorous

What products do you sell?

I sell t-shirts, dog bandanas, wreaths, face masks, wine glasses, champagne flutes, hoodies, ornaments (essentially anything that is customizable).

What made you choose to start Cassie’s Designs?

  1. I actually started Cassie’s Designs in my closet in 5th grade. Ha! In addition, I attribute the founding of Cassie’s Designs to my late Nana. She would always encourage and inspire my creativity. No project was too big or too small for her, she did whatever it took to help make my dreams come true. 
  2. Moreover, I’ve always enjoyed making items and giving them to people. More recently, I bought a Cricut Cutting Machine for my time as a Resident Assistant at Meredith. After dabbling with the machine, my desire to craft grew and I realized that my ideas and items could be utilized by everyone.

Where do you get inspiration for the merchandise that you sell?

I’m inspired by everything. Ha! I’m inspired by my family and friends. I’m in a lot of online groups that give me ideas for new projects. I draw inspiration from books, TV shows, Pinterest, you name it!  In addition, sometimes I just buy materials with no ideas in mind, but as I begin crafting, it all comes together.

What are some of your goals within Cassie’s Designs?

  1. Gain a mass following (not only to sell items, but to promote social justice).
  2. I want to learn how to sew and do embroidery. I have a sewing machine, it’s just learning how to use it, that’s the challenge. 
  3. I want my Etsy shop to be successful. I’d really like it if the majority of my sales came through there.

What are your career goals outside of Cassie’s Designs?

My ultimate goal is to open a therapy farm for at-risk children and adolescents. I firmly believe in the power that animals have on our ability to cope with challenging situations in life. I feel that I’ve always had this gift where people feel safe and open up to me more than the average person. We never know how our words impact others, so it’s important that we make every word count.

How did founding Cassie’s Designs help you achieve your goals?

It’s really important to me to be a strong and independent woman. Running Cassie’s Designs is all me. I pride myself on being someone that others can look up to. Having my own business makes me feel a sense of independence and pride that no one can take away from me. It also aligns with my ultimate goal in life which is to help people. 

Is there any product you would like to release/sell?

I really want to make and sew custom pieces of clothing. As a woman in the plus size community, I feel there are not enough viable options for bigger women. The clothes are always overpriced and aren’t made well. I’d love the opportunity to make others feel beautiful and to love their bodies just the way they are.

In times where you feel like you’re just going to give up, what helps you to keep going and preserve?

I always just feel this spark of optimism anywhere I go. Ever since I was a child, I’ve always held the mentality that tomorrow is a new day and if plan A didn’t work, there are 25 more letters in the alphabet. Sweet Red wine from Aldis is also a nice pick me up after a long work day!

If there’s one thing you could say to somebody looking to start their own small business, what would it be?

Make sure to have variety in your products. You want to appeal to a wide variety of people, so there is something for everyone. And always, always, always take pictures of your work!

Lastly, share the first thing you want to do once quarantine is over!

Okay, so 2 major things I want to do. One, is to go to all the concerts that I had lined up before Corona hit. Two, I want to go out to a bar. Ha! Since my birthday was in the height of Corona, I never got to experience that 21st birthday bash.

Feel free to follow Cassie’s Designs on social media and shop her super adorable designs!

Lastly, enter our giveaway on both of our Instagram pages!

XOXO – Katie <3

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72 Hours in Charleston, South Carolina

A pineapple fountain, beaches everywhere you turn, and colorful buildings galore, I’m not going to lie, Charleston is definitely me in a city. Ever since I learned of this magnificent coastal city, I knew that one day I needed to plan a trip. Luckily for myself, my college’s Honors Program allowed me to help plan and attend their annual Fall trip to Charleston this past September. This meant that I got to not only travel to Charleston for the weekend, but have the opportunity to go with some of my best friends (and make new ones along the way). Let’s just say a lot of Lilly Pulitzer went into my suitcase that weekend!

Since I did travel to Charleston with my school, this meant that there was an academic component to it. Yes, that means that professors DO travel with us. For the academic part of the trip, each of us spilt up into different mini courses which focus on a different aspect of Charleston, such as food, the environment, gender at the Citadel, and religion. My group had an environmental emphasis placed on it, and we traveled to the Isle of Palms State Park where we participated in an ocean cleanup (more on that later!). Personally, I really enjoy the academic aspect of each Honors trip, as it allows me to learn about a different city and its culture in an out of the classroom manner.

Friday

After getting up at the crack of dawn with a suitcase full of Lilly Pulitzer and a five hour bus ride, I finally made it to Charleston. Upon arrival, each mini course group met at the hotel and settled in there, before we all headed to the Isle of Palms State Park for some much needed vitamin sea. There, I finally achieved my dream of getting to take a underneath a beach pier, which was super exciting! After soaking up some sun, it was time to hit the Spirit of Charleston for a gorgeous river dinner cruise (fun fact: I LOVE river cruises in general, so this was a plus!!). There, I got to soak in some gorgeous views of Charleston’s iconic Ravanel Bridge, downtown, and Fort Sumter. Let’s just say I feel right in love with the city before even stepping foot in its downtown!

Saturday

Saturday morning was mini course morning, so, for me, that meant it was ocean clean up time. My group and I went back to the Isle of Palms State Park, where like many other South Carolina beaches, are participating in a statewide clean up that happens one Saturday morning each month. Before the clean up, my group and I learned some staggering facts about how much plastic waste affects our oceans and our beaches; one little piece of plastic can really harm a tiny ocean creature. These facts definitely made me realize the gifts that each person who takes part in the ocean clean up brings to our ecosystems. I didn’t take many pictures at the clean up, as I wanted to put my all into the service component of the trip and really take the time to leave my mark while I was there.

The afternoon-evening was left open for me and my classmates, which meant for most of us exploring the downtown. My friends and I ended up checking out a burger place (which I honestly forget the name of), before walking throughout many of the shops of the city’s iconic King Street. After visiting many shops, we headed for Rainbow Row, the Waterfront Park, and the Pineapple Fountain where I truly felt as if I was in my element! Once we soaked in some of the major sites, we headed for the Charleston City Market, where we met up with my cousin Laura who went to school and lived nearby the downtown. My friends and I, then, enjoyed dinner and experiencing Charleston from Laura’s viewpoint. We were definitely the last one’s back to the hotel, but it was 100000% worth it!

Sunday

Sunday morning was a morning spent well listening to presentations from my classmates and I about their mini courses. Since we had extra time after the presentations, we took a group excursion to the Boone Hall Plantation to learn about its colonial history and receive a surprise presentation on how indigo is made. Once our morning had ended, we had a nice group lunch at the celebrity-frequented Hyman’s Seafood restaurant before hitting the road back to Raleigh.

All in all, going to Charleston was like a Lilly Pulitzer dream come true. Planning a trip to Charleston was something that I had hoped to do for a few years now, so I feel very lucky that I was able to experience this magical colonial city with some of my best friends. They always say that there’s always an opportunity to travel to the places that you have loved and have consistently wanted to see, and after going this trip, I can vouch that this is very true. Til next time, Charleston!

XOXO, Katie

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