It’s been over a day since I’ve been back in Philly, but I think I’ve finally recovered enough from the whirlwind that was the 2nd Annual Her Campus National Intercollegiette Conference to write about it. Here are the highlights, as told through my Instagram:

On the way to Day 1.

That first day was kind of a blur. It was an early morning (early enough that I ended up doing my makeup on the LIRR) and I was running late and had to hail a cab to get to the conference in time to grab some breakfast. I attended two panels in the morning — the first on public relations and marketing, the second on creating a sort of life plan.

I chose the marketing panel because it’s a field I know nothing about, but as I search for full-time work, I find myself applying to more marketing assistant-type positions. I also love using social media, but I tend to approach it more from a journalistic perspective, so I’m interested in the other end too. It was very overwhelming though, because there was just so much vocabulary and the like I’ve never been exposed to before. It’s a learning process I suppose. Though since I felt so discouraged afterwards, the second panel did not help me build my career confidence.

Here’s the thing about conferences — they are awkward and overwhelming by nature, and Her Campus events especially are filled with passionate and motivated young women. Which is amazing, but also kind of intimidating. That was Saturday. The highlight of the day was a screening of Girl Rising, a documentary on the importance of global girls’ education. It was inspiring and definitely put things in perspective.

Day 2. Accurate.

After working off my nerves Saturday, Sunday went a lot better. For one, I had an easier time introducing myself to people and spotted some more friendly faces. The panels I attended were great too. The first was on blogging (hello, perfect) and the second was another on life planning. This one had a positive impact on me, especially as I try to kickstart my career. Again, great timing, Her Campus. The keynote speeches were also especially awesome.

Other things I loved during #HerConference:

♡ getting my hair did ♡ listening to inspiring women ♡ all the tea ♡ swag bags ♡ learning more about new media ♡ networking ♡ reconnecting ♡ finding motivation ♡ being back in New York ♡ free Chipotle ♡

For my fellow attendees, what did you think of the weekend? Let me know!

~ Sarah