#SelfieswithAlma
Okay, with a headline that starts with a hashtag you may be wondering what this post will be about. Let me explain, before my freshman year of college at the University of Illinois, I thought it would be kind of fun to take a selfie with the iconic Alam Mater (if you don’t know what that is, here is a little background about the statue) every school day until the day I graduate.
This idea started out with me only taking a photo for my own personal collection of college memories. Then one day it dawned on me, why not continue this streak on social media just to publicly document this journey? So that is exactly what I did! A week before starting my first semester at UIUC, I created the @selfieswithalma Instagram account!
Give @selfieswithalma a follow to join this journey!
The only times I do not take a photo with Alma are on holiday breaks (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break), and in the summer. Before I left for summer break, my photo count paused on day 145 of selfies. Taking all of these photos has been such a fun and relaxing addition to my school day!
I was even lucky enough to be featured by The News-Gazette during Homecoming week last year! Another cool feature was on the local, student ran television station called UI 7, and being featured by the official University of Illinois Instagram account this summer for National Selfies Day! It is always such an honor to share the story of Selfies with Alma!
Scrolling through the photos you can see how my attire changes to accommodate the weather outside. There is one cranberry colored hat I wear consistently because it is my warmest hat, and the assortment of scarves add a fun flare. The wind and rain make my days more interesting and force me to accommodate them. Sometimes there are people handing things out in front of Alma or they will have a table set up in front. I love it when that happens because it adds a little more to the picture than on a usual day! Plus, it is always fun to meet new people!
As I am getting ready to take on my sophomore year of college, I am very excited to start picking up the selfies with Alma again! I have never expected Selfies with Alma to reach so many, it was only ever meant to be something I did to document my college years. But I am so thankful for all of those who have been following along this selfies journey! As much fun as it is to see the Alma Mater everyday, I can’t wait until I can take that final selfie in my cap and gown!
Much Love,
Sarah
