Emma For Everyone

Every new semester at college the professor normally has every person in their class go around and introduce themselves. "What's your name? Your major? What's something we wouldn't know about you?" My answers sound like this: "My name is Emma Harbaugh, I am an English major, and something you wouldn't know about me is that I have four brothers." This is always the fact I give my fellow classmates. Why? Probably because I wouldn't be who I am today without my siblings. This is something I know within my heart as a fact, that will always be true. After taking my first women's and gender studies course, I realized that I too wanted to be someone in my brothers lives that has helped shaped them into who they are as well. Identifying as a feminist today has morphed into a term that many have adopted, but many on the other hand, have considered offensive. It's clear that there are so many definitions of what being a feminist can mean, and the...

Entering college, like many others, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to be true for my professional career. Growing up I heard time and time again: "You're such a great listener, and offer a wisdom beyond your years." Pretty encouraging stuff, if you ask me. So in result of that I thought I would make for the perfect therapist. Helping people, as I have stated in my previous blog, is intertwined within who I am as a human being. What's a better way than channeling that sense of the "savior" within me than being a psychologist? Well, after taking my first psych class my freshman year of college, I switched my major to English about as fast as one could. This was an interesting time for me, because obviously as you're heading off to school, those who have attended college warn you, with a glint of knowledge in their eye that they are holding, something you have yet to find out: "your interests and career choice will change. It just happens....

As a college student, one of the perks that I have gotten used to, are the extended break periods. I am just now finishing up my winter break, an entire month off in between fall and spring semester. Coming home, I am of course ecstatic about the break from academics, excited to let my mind rest and let go of the stress of almost drowning in homework everyday for the past four months. But there is always a little drizzle of anxiety on top of the relief of the end of the semester. I come from two loving homes, four very caring parents and four brothers that I love with all of my heart. The holidays are consistently filled with family, euchre, presents and quality time. But, having split parents is a hard thing to manage during the holiday season, and ANY child of divorce can tell you that. In the realm of divorce, I do have it about as good as one could. My parents respect each other, and have always put my oldest brother and I first. But with having four parents, there are four famil...

When I think about who I am today, and who I am meant to be, one specific memory from my childhood stands out. Ten years ago, I was in fourth grade. The prime time of my life, really. It was the year President Obama was elected into office. To be involved in the historic event, my fourth grade class participated in our own presidential election. I was elated. Going home, I expressed my excitement to both sets of my parents, and we began brainstorming about my campaign strategies. Part of this project required a poster board including your picture, some key issues you wanted to address within the fourth grade, and your plan of action. My campaign slogan was "Emma For Everyone" expressing my genuine interest in the good of my fourth grade class. I knew I needed to be all accepting, that every single person should know they have a voice, and that I could be the one they could come to. What I brought to this project, and what I continue to bring to almost all that I am involved...