Daphne Nwobike
Staff writer
For most people, deciding to take on a double major or minor requires a lot of consideration, but Elizabeth Fisher (C’25), from Texas, is engrossed by the prospect of majoring and minoring in various disciplines. So, understandably, she is pursuing a major in Economics and a double minor in Business and International and Global Studies.
Fisher was drawn to Sewanee’s small size, which makes it easy to form tight-knit relationships with faculty and staff, and the plethora of academic opportunities the university has in store. Although she was admitted to the university in the thick of the pandemic, Fisher was determined to make the most of her freshman year. But her journey has consisted of many unanticipated twists and turns. At first, “I wanted to be an anthropologist who specialized in water…I took this water anthropology class here, and I loved it. But then…[I] took art history, wanted to be an art historian,” says Fisher. She had many passions that she wanted to explore, but after getting ill, she was forced to determine what truly mattered.
Fisher had long term COVID-19 and took a semester off from school to recover. During this period, she learned to prioritize her health over everything else. This newfound dedication to self-care helped her fall in love with “the simple art of skin care” she had never appreciated before. “There was something about doing this for yourself every day that I just loved,” Fisher said. Upon returning to campus, this focus on her well-being and her new fondness for skin care influenced her mindset about school and work. “When I came back, my health was still number one. I had to put my sleep first; I had to put my self-care first,” says Fisher. She was also prompted to ask herself, “Well, what can I do with this [interest in skin care]? How can I make my majors and minors [revolve] around this?” And so her major and minors were born.
Fisher’s passion for business contributed to her Economics major and Business minor. Her fascination with global capitalism and her love for Asian culture engendered her IGS minor. All these interests amalgamated into her desire to specialize in Korean skincare, a distinctive and intricate field. Fisher has now realized that she is responsible for creating a college experience that is genuinely and uniquely hers instead of simply following the crowd and filling her resume with things that look sophisticated but leave her drained and stressed. She says, “if it’s not working for me and my health and who I am right now, then I’m going to [drop] it.” Fisher is determined to ensure that her well-being is protected, whether it’s by consciously choosing courses that thrill her or cultivating healthy relationships.
Outside of class, Fisher is a Carey fellow, an arcadian panelist, a student coordinator for fitwell, the director of health and wellness at Kappa Delta, a member of the student wellness action committee, and the public relations intern at the Babson Center. She is also in the process of creating a skincare club. Although she is heavily involved, Elizabeth genuinely likes participating in these activities because they connect to her interests in wellness and business. For fun, Elizabeth enjoys watching Korean dramas, traveling, crafting, reading, and trying new things. Her advice for students considering taking on multiple majors and minors is this: “Slow down and take a breath. Ask yourself, ‘Is this something that would benefit me?’” Sewanee students want to be the best at everything, but Elizabeth emphasizes that we must “do what’s best for our souls.”