Laura Locher, Author at

Posted on May 10, 2021May 4, 2021 by Laura Locher — Leave a comment

Prioritizing Community Your Freshman Year

College is a new beginning for everyone. It is a time to meet new people, gain autonomy, and discover what you are passionate about. While college is a brilliant time for all of those things, it can also be really isolating at first if you let it. My advice to anyone beginning their freshman year is to prioritize community and friendship.

When I came to Grove City my freshman year in 2017, I was absolutely terrified. I loved living at home, spending time with my boyfriend, seeing my mom every day, and having sleepovers with my twin sister. I was comfortable living at home. The idea of moving to a campus without any of my favorite people was extremely daunting. I have to be honest, my freshman year, community wise, was not a priority for me. I spent more of my time studying in the library than I did with friends or my roommates. My coping mechanism for missing home was to put all of my efforts into school and get good grades. Looking back, I now realize that my freshman year could have looked very differently had someone pulled me aside and told me what really matters.

Academics are critical at Grove City College. School is 95% of why we go to college. Get good grades to get into a great grad school program or start a fantastic career. But the other 5%, however, is arguably more important. That 5% represents the relationships you grow and memories you build with your peers over your four years at Grove City. I completely understand thinking your GPA defines you. And honestly sometimes it feels like it does. But the community you seek and friendships you foster will shape you into the man or woman you will become post-graduation. Who do you want to be when you graduate from Grove City? Do you want to be someone with a 4.0, is involved in every academic club, but has no time for friends? Or do you want to be someone who has a 3.2-3.5 GPA, has phenomenal interpersonal skills, time for those around them, and is whole rounded in every sense: a liberal arts degree, superb communication skills/relationships. I deeply encourage you to find a balance between these things. Make intentional time for your studies. You are paying a lot of money to receive a phenomenal education, do not waste it. But also, make time for relationships. You will grow exponentially if you foster relationships with your peers and care about your academics.

I would have a completely different perspective about Grove City had I not found my now-closest friends sophomore year. It would be a story of loneliness, just getting by, sadness, you get the point. But instead, my story is one of community, growth, faith, and deep love for my friends and the College. Do yourself a favor, and put yourself out there to find friends who will encourage you, challenge you, and stick by you during your time at Grove City College because believe me, they are here for you.

Posted on May 9, 2021May 4, 2021 by Laura Locher — Leave a comment

Alumni Spotlight: Alex Locher

Grove City College prepares its students for life after college well. Alex Locher graduated from the College in 2017 with a degree in Finance and Biblical and Religious Studies. Let us take a look at how Grove City College prepared Alex for his life post-graduation!

What did you study at Grove City and why did you choose to study it?

“I studied Finance and Biblical and Religious Studies (BARS) during my time at GCC. I chose Finance because I knew I wanted to get into the business world from a career standpoint post-graduation. However, I also had a deep interest in furthering my spiritual development while in college, so I went the Biblical and Religious Studies route as well even though I wasn’t planning on pursuing a career in formal ministry.”

What is one thing you wish you did differently during your time at the Grove?

“Looking back, I wish I would have spent more time developing deeper relationships with my professors, as they were all great resources and wonderful people.”

How did Grove City College prepare you for the “real world?”

“My Finance major gave me a lot of valuable knowledge about the economy and the way different markets operate. The classes provided a solid foundation for me to expand upon as I worked as a finance specialist at PNC and now as a financial advisor for Wells Fargo.”

What is your favorite memory from college?

“My favorite memories from college came from rooming with my brother during my sophomore year. He was a senior that year and we both decided to join the Alpha Omega housing group. It was cool to be able to spend so much time together and have that shared experience while at school. I’ll hold on to those memories for a very long time.”

I hope after reading some of Alex’s experience from the College, you are encouraged. Alex provides just a small glimpse into many success stories of Grove City students post-graduation. Grove City College prepares its students well. The College, regardless of your major, provides excellent resources and education to its students to prepare them for life after school. Do not fear, an education from Grove City will prepare you for the real world. Whether you choose to do something related to your major or not, you will be one of the hardest working employees because of your education. Please take advantage, as Alex said, of the professors in your major as they are a phenomenal resource for your career path.

Posted on May 8, 2021May 4, 2021 by Laura Locher — Leave a comment

Alumni Spotlight: Claire Dawkins

Grove City College prepares its students for life after college well. Claire Dawkins graduated from the College in 2019 with a degree in Communication Studies and a Professional Writing concentration. Let us take a look at how Grove City College prepared Claire for her life post-graduation!

What did you study at Grove City and why did you choose to study it?

I was accepted into Grove City as a Middle Level Education Math and English Major. The education fields were great, and I loved getting to know the students I worked with, but I did not love being in a classroom. With the help and counsel of the Career Services Office, I changed my major! I graduated with a Communication major with a Professional Writing concentration.

What is one thing you wish you did differently during your time at the Grove?

During my junior year, I remember being incredibly stressed over a particular paper. I stayed up all night, and at 4 a.m., I finally called it quits and asked my professor for an extension. He granted me the extension with one piece of advice: Perfection is the enemy of good. In my four years at Grove City, I would have saved myself a lot of time and tears if I had known that truth. I would have done things a lot differently!

How did Grove City College prepare you for the “real world”?

With the flexibility of my major, I learned about myself through my studies. The Communication and Visual Arts Department provides classes on a wide variety of subject matter. I was disinterested in some classes and enthralled by others! Through that experience, I was able to discern what I wanted to learn more about as I chose a career path.

What is your favorite memory from college?

There are too many wonderful memories I could name! I loved coffee dates with friends, finding new quiet spots around campus, and taking walks around Grove City chatting with people. Some of my sweetest memories were throughout all four years when I was with my friends, and we were all brain-dead. We would watch a movie or grab a dessert from the SAC (student activity center), and we just would spend time together resting and relaxing – enjoying the years that fly by and being with each other.

I hope after reading some of Claire’s experience from the College, you are encouraged. Claire provides just a small glimpse into many success stories of Grove City students post-graduation. Grove City College prepares its students well. The College, regardless of your major, provides excellent resources and education to its students to prepare them for life after school. Do not fear, an education from Grove City will prepare you for the real world. Whether you choose to do something related to your major or not, you will be one of the hardest working employees and well-rounded people because of your time at Grove City College.

Posted on April 26, 2021April 21, 2021 by Laura Locher — Leave a comment

Major Decision

Junior and senior year of high school are extremely stressful for primarily one reason, the constant asking, “where are you going to college?” and “what are you studying?” is enough to cause a student to go crazy. Let me give you three pieces of wisdom that should put your mind at ease and that I wish someone would have told me.

It is okay to change your major.

Please, hear me when I say this, it is okay if you choose a major and then change when you actually have some classes under your belt. That is part of the beauty of college, you can choose one area of study, but then change it if after some classes you realize it is not what you want anymore, or it is not what you thought it would be.

Being an undeclared major is nothing to be ashamed of.

When you are 17 or 18 years old, how are you truly supposed to know what field you want to pursue for the rest of your life? Personally, I think that is really rare. Nonetheless, I think it is more admirable to enter college undeclared than choose a major just for the sake of it and pay money for classes you are not even sure if you will like. If you are unsure of what you want to study, take your first semester freshman year to take a wide variety of classes and see what you are most interested in. Do not be ashamed of being undeclared. In the long run, this could save you time and money.

Even when you choose your major, you may graduate and do something completely different.

You cannot begin to understand how many people I know that receive their degree in one area of expertise and get a job in another and do just fine. I have family members and close friends that have studied very specific fields and are now doing well in a completely different one. Clearly you want to make use of your four-year degree and most college students do just that. But I want to assure you that if for some reason after your four years at Grove City College, if you want to pursue a different career than the one you got a degree in, you will also be just fine.

The last two years of high school can be really stressful when you think about not only what college you want to attend but also what you want to major in. Please do not let the stress of your last few years in high school make you nervous for college. You have the power to change your major, be undeclared and figure out what you want to study, and choose whatever career path you want to pursue.

Posted on March 16, 2021March 8, 2021 by Laura Locher — Leave a comment

Three Cold Weather Activities

Have you ever been cooped up inside through a cold winter? Well, the Grove City climate is infamous for cold winters. That is why I want to give you three ideas of what you can do indoors amidst the cold winter weather. I have found my fair share of enjoyable indoor activities that have enabled me to still see friends, stay active, and rest.

Movie night with friends.

You do not need a projector or big TV to have a successful movie night with your friends. When it is cold outside, all I want to do is get cozy and hang with friends. It can get lonely after awhile of staying inside away from the cold. That is why using your laptop for a movie night with friends is the perfect idea! You do not have to leave your dorm to enjoy time with friends. The cold weather does not have to keep you from making popcorn and enjoying a chill night.

At home workout in your room.

Although this may not seem like an ideal way to spend time out of the cold, it is a sure way to keep your body moving. When winter hits Grove City, it is easy to want to stay in your room and avoid going to the gym because that would involve going outside. But, for your physical and mental health, you need to stay active even in your dorm. In today’s world, there are thousands of free at home workouts, via YouTube, available to you that only require your bodyweight. Working out in your dorm room will not only keep you healthy physically but also mentally. We tend to downward spiral when we are cooped up with nothing to do, nowhere to go, or anyone to see. If you move your body for even 20 minutes a day, your mental health will improve as well.

Turn on the “Fireplace” special on Netflix, make a hot drink, and read a book.

During Grove City’s cold winters, you need to make time to see friends and stay active for your mental sanity. But you also need to practice self-care. Do not neglect your personal health. Find things that bring you true rest and ease of mind and body. For me, it is turning on the Netflix special “Fireplace,” making a cup of chai tea, and reading a book. I want nothing more on a cold day then to sit by a fire, in dorms the closest thing I get is the Netflix special, and cozy up with a good book. That is my version of rest and self-care. What is yours?

Posted on March 15, 2021March 8, 2021 by Laura Locher — Leave a comment

Ring by Spring: Content or Not?

From day one of freshman orientation, Grove City makes the light-hearted joke of “look to your left, look to your right, you may be sitting next to your husband or wife.” This is a statement made to lighten the mood and break the ice. But there is social pressure regarding getting engaged your second semester senior year. Said pressure is completely derived from the student body. Does this sound silly? Yes, absolutely. But I can personally attest as a second semester senior in a long-term relationship the pressure to get engaged is present.

Disclaimer, I do not think getting engaged your spring semester senior year is bad. Not at all. Heck, I would like to be! I just want to empathize with the future Grove City student who is in the same boat as I am. You are in a serious relationship with no ring yet – which is perfectly fine. And you are so happy in your relationship. Yet seemingly everyone around you is getting engaged and you cannot help but wish you were too. All of your peers will not stop asking you when you are getting engaged. Therefore, you become slightly discontent with the current phase of life you are in.

I am writing this to simply encourage you to be content with the specific relational season you are in. Being single is a beautiful time to develop your own sense of self and evaluate what you want in a partner. Dating is so fun because you get to experience the joy of doing life with somebody without the responsibilities of real life yet. Engagement is wonderful because you are planning your big day together, awaiting the day you no longer have to be apart. And marriage is the end zone where you finally get to spend everyday with the one your soul loves. The point is, there is beauty, growth, hardships, and really good things in all seasons of relationships. Do not allow what is going on around you to steal from the joy you do have right now in whatever relational phase you are in. If you are looking for what is next or what everyone else is doing, you will always be discontent. Focus on you, your relational phase, and you will prosper, be joyful, and content.

There is no right way to be in a relationship when you are about to graduate college. All of that to say, of course Grove City is a wonderful place to potentially find a loved one and grow in your relations with those at the College. All I am saying is that there is a time and a season for everything. You are in the season of life you are in because God has you there for a reason. Lean into that and not the pressure of being somewhere you are not yet.

Posted on March 14, 2021March 8, 2021 by Laura Locher — Leave a comment

Career Options for an English Major Part 2

Part 1 focuses on the more well-known jobs of an English major – i.e., publishing, editing, author, etc. Part 2, however, focuses on more unconventional or not as well-known jobs like advertising, paralegal, insurance, etc.

Coming into school freshman year, I knew I wanted to study English, but I also knew I did not want to be a teacher. So, what were my other options? I am here to present to future English majors a variety of different career paths that may be unknown as you enter college. Enjoy Part 2!

Media/Marketing –

Journalism: If you are someone who loves researching, writing, editing, proofreading, and organizing stories then journalism is for you.

Where journalists work: Journalists work for magazines, journals, newspapers, TV, etc. There are more opportunities to be a journalist than just in the political field. If you want invigorating work, jornalism may be for you.

Event Management: Yes, English majors can be event managers! You do not need a degree in Communication Studies or event planning to be an event manager. With you reading, writing, and communication background from your English degree, planning, organizing, and promoting social events will come naturally.

Where event managers work: Event managers work for single clients, big corporations, small businesses, etc. Think of any brand or product you use. Now think of all of the events that have been put on to promote that product or brand? You can do that with an English degree.

Advertising: An English degree can take you far in advertising. For example, I work for a company called FCB Health, NY as a freelance editor right now. Advertising agencies need people who can write, edit, and communicate not only effectively but also intentionally and creatively. For FCB, you could be an editor, copywriter, account manager, integrated production, and more.

Where advertisers work: English majors can work a lot of different jobs in advertising. You can edit, proofread, copywrite, manage accounts, run social media content, and so much more. Do not think you need to be a Marketing major to work for an advertisement agency – although that is not a bad route of course.

Communications –

Paralegal: Paralegals are crucial for the success of lawyers. They draft documents, organize files, and so much more. Paralegals are also sometimes referred to as a legal assistant. Want to go into law without going to law school? Well now you can.

Where a paralegal works: Pick the law firm and you can find a paralegal job.

Insurance: With an English degree, you can pursue writing insurance policies for any insurance company – i.e., GEICO, Allstate, Progressive, Nationwide, etc.

Where insurance writer’s work: Pick an insurance company. Apply for a job in insurance looking for positions labeled writer, technical journalist, technical writer, copywriter, etc.

Human Resources (HR): HR is most known for tasks like training, communicating with clients, employees, and applicants, managing records, etc. With an English degree, you possess a great skill set to excel in HR. For example, “strong written and verbal communication skills, the ability to apply principles of rhetoric to persuasion and arguments, researching and assessment techniques, developing conclusions from research and evaluation, synthesis of ideas, and organization of material” (“Can I Get a Job in”).

Where HR people work: Any well-established company has human resources. HR is an indispensable part of a company. Try taking a look at advertising agencies, big corporations, office jobs, etc. It will be difficult to find a company without a HR team.

Do not limit yourself to a handful of jobs or turn away from the major completely because you are unaware of the multitude of jobs that await an English major. Being an English major enables you the opportunity to try many different fields, careers, and jobs that say a narrower major would not allow. There are options out there other than teaching or being an author.

Citation: “Can I Get a Job in Human Resources With Only an English Degree?” Human Resources Degrees, 2 Jan. 2014, www.humanresourcesmba.net/faq/can-i-get-a-job-in-human-resources-with-only-an-english-degree/#:~:text=Some%20of%20the%20common%20responsibilities,communications%2C%20negotiations%2C%20and%20organization.

Posted on March 13, 2021March 8, 2021 by Laura Locher — Leave a comment

Career Options for an English Major Part 1

Have you ever thought about being an English major but hesitated because of unknown future employment opportunities? You are not alone. My name is Laura Locher, and I am a senior English major with a Communication Studies minor. Coming into school freshman year, I knew I wanted to study English, but I also knew I did not want to be a teacher. So, what were my other options? I am here to present to future English majors a variety of different career paths that may be unknown as you enter college. Part 1 will focus on the more well-known jobs of an English major – i.e., publishing, editing, author, etc. Part 2, however, will focus on more unconventional jobs like advertising, paralegal, insurance, etc.

Editing/Publishing –

Proofreader: A proofreader is, as you can assume, someone who reads things closely with the intention of marking corrections in a proof. Proofreading is a very specific type of editing that entails looking for spelling, punctuation, and consistency errors.

Where proofreaders work: publishing houses (independent and corporate), magazines, newspapers, advertising agencies, etc.

Copyeditor: Copyediting is even more of a tedious process than proofreading. Copyeditors not only proofread the copy (the text itself), but they also check sentences for good flow and structure. Copyeditors also fact check the text and offer rewrites to improve the piece.

Where copyeditors work: Copyeditors can work for magazines, publishing houses, freelance (for anyone who needs this service), the newspaper, advertising agencies, etc.

Editorial acquisitions: An acquisitions editor is responsible for acquiring written projects said company needs. For example, I interned for an independent publishing house in NYC in 2019 as the editorial acquisitions associate. I met and communicated with authors and essayists who provided books and academic resources the company desired.

Where acquisition editors work: Acquisition editors work primarily at publishing houses or magazines.

Writing –

Author: As most of you know already, the role of an author is to create original ideas via books, movies, magazine articles, poems, academic journals, etc.

Where authors work: Nowadays, authors self-publish on a variety of platforms. The most successful though, seemingly, have a contract with either an independent or corporate publishing house who does all of the behind the scenes work when creating, releasing, promoting, and selling an author’s work.

Technical writer: The role of a technical writer is to communicate within a company extremely technical information in an accessible way. Do not underestimate the importance of this job path. The skill of technical writing has been on a steady decline over the last 5-7 years due to a rapid increase in technology doing everything for us. People’s ability to write well and communicate difficult ideas to another person is hard to come by. This is a much-needed job.

Where technical writer’s work: Primarily in scientific, engineering, computer, and big corporation settings. But do not stop here, technical writers are needed at a plethora of jobs.

Essayist: A person who writes essays. Yes, you all know this. Being an essayist is a job, particularly in research fields of study so I wanted to share it with you. I would not necessarily recommend this job however it is a job for a reason.

Where essayists work: Research institutes, colleges and universities, for the government, etc.

Poet: A person who writes poems. Again, a beautiful career for the few and far between who make it. But I still thought the poet should be acknowledged.

Where poets work: Poets are typically self-published unless an independent or major publishing house acquires them. You can also occasionally freelance for people seeking original poetry. Is becoming a poet the most secure job out there for an English major? No. But if that’s what you love to do then

Posted on November 3, 2020October 19, 2020 by Laura Locher — Leave a comment

Finals Week at Grove City College

For me, the thought of my first finals week at the College was absolutely terrifying. I wanted to ace all my exams but had no idea how to manage all of the studying and retain any information. I have a few tips on how to relax and study well for your first finals week. Take a read if you are a freshman who is wary about your first finals week experience!

Split up your studying time by class and when your final is.

For example, if you have two finals on Friday–one at 9:00am and one at 7:00pm–on Wednesday write out your study guides for both finals so you do not have to do that on Thursday. Then on Thursday (study day) you could spend your morning studying for your 9:00am final, take a lunch break, spend the afternoon continuing to study for your 9:00am final, review for your 9:00am, take a dinner break, begin studying for your 7:00pm final after dinner, take a break and review for your 9:00am final until midnight, then go to bed, wake up to review one last time and be confident taking your 9:00am final and use the rest of your day to review and study for 7:00pm final. There is no one right way to study. This is just one of my favorite and most effective ways of studying.

Take small breaks to refresh, spend time with friends, and reenergize.

While I could give you many more study tips to be prepared for finals, I want to give you the most important tip when getting ready for finals: take breaks and rejuvenate. Studying for hours on end will result in nothing productive if you do not take breaks to relax and recoup. I have found that I am the least productive when I study for more than three or four hours without taking a break to go hang with friends or eat something. If I study for much longer than that without taking a break, my studying becomes useless because I do not retain anything, and I am not in a healthy headspace to continue studying well.

It is completely normal to be nervous about your first finals week at the Grove. But, with some tips from me, hopefully you can be a little bit more prepared and relaxed!

Posted on October 24, 2020October 14, 2020 by Laura Locher — Leave a comment

Transitions: Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of the “Transitions” series! Transitions can be difficult, but I want to continue to ease your mind about a few of them.

Transition to leaving family.

One of the most difficult things for people going to college is moving away from family. This is completely understandable seeing as you will have lived with your family for your entire life. Something to acknowledge when you come to college is that yes, it will be weird at first sharing a bathroom with 20-30 other people and not having your mom around to help do your laundry or cook for you. But, going to college is such a beautiful first run at being independent from your family and making big, daily decisions for yourself and by yourself. Also, you will have plenty of breaks to go home and visit your family if you live far away. If you live close, you can go home on the weekends to catch up and reenergize for the week ahead! You can do it. Missing family is so normal. Lean on your peers who are also missing their family and in the same transition with you and they will become your family.

Transition to being autonomous.

As mentioned above, you are most likely moving out of your family home and pretty excited about going to college to become independent. Of course, there are some responsibilities that only come post-graduation, but for the most part, college is the first time you will be independent from your family unit. It is truly so exciting coming to Grove City and making decisions for yourself without having to consult your parents or anyone really except yourself. You can decide what you do when, what you eat when, how late you stay up or wake up in the morning, if you work out or not, and a whole lot more. College is a great space to learn the ropes of being independent while in the safe confines of a phenomenal school like Grove City College.

College is one of the biggest transitions you will ever make in your life–moving away from family into a dorm, new classes, new experiences, etc. It can all be terrifying from an outside perspective, but when you break it down day by day, moment by moment, you will soon learn to thrive at Grove City College.