Photos Courtesy of Jessica Remlinger
“I’m literally the most open book,” sophomore Jessica Remlinger said, as she took a sip from her Harry Potter and Ronald Reagan sticker-coated Hydroflask.
Sitting in the Caf with her long blonde hair brushing against her petite shoulders, she continued to take sips from her re-usable bottle, entirely covered by her self-proclaimed heroes, including a sticker of Michael Scott, Steve Carell’s character from “The Office.” She said how the stickers on her bottle make her happy each time she looks down at it, since they all resemble her favorite things. Remlinger said she has always been a salt-of-the-earth person because of her upbringing in Snohomish, Washington with her three older brothers, younger sister, and her dog, Chanel. But she added she will always uphold her diva tendencies in everything she does.
“I decided it was time for me to move away from home, and there was no better location than Malibu to accomplish that. I knew I wanted to live at the beach because that’s one of my favorite things to do,” Remlinger said. “I also loved that Pepperdine was a Christian school. God is always my top priority.”
Now almost having completed her sophomore year, Remlinger said she is focused on finding a career that suits her personality and overwhelming need to help others.
“I chose Public Relations because I love working with people. For my career —whatever I choose — I want to be surrounded by people all the time because I’m the most people-person oriented girl there is,” Remlinger said.
Remlinger said her love of serving others stems from her mother, who has always been a proponent of ensuring the well-being of other people before self. She also alluded to the fact her mother has always been her greatest inspiration for exploring the great outdoors, and appreciating nature.
“I am most passionate about the environment. I’m a Christian, and as a Christian, I believe that we should all honor and love God’s earth because it is beautifully made, and we should always clean up after ourselves because we are all products of God’s creation,” Remlinger said. “I love being outside, I plan on spending all of next summer hiking the Pacific Crest Trail; it’s always been something I’ve wanted to do.”
Although hiking the trail has always been an unchecked item on Remlinger’s bucket list, she knew it was a task she was determined to complete after reading “Wild,” by Cheryl Strayed.
“I think it will be one of the most life-changing, exciting experiences of my life, and I’m going to hike it with my mom and my younger sister, Julia, which will be an amazing opportunity for us to all spend together before Julia goes off to college,” Remlinger said. “It scares me because I’m always on my phone, constantly connected to the world, and you can’t be connected to those things when you’re hiking it, we all will have to go rogue.”
After graduation, Remlinger said she is always willing to keep her mind open to all of the possibilities life offers her career-wise, but she knows deep down, her heart will always be wed to Washington and its awe-inspiring beauty.
“I see myself working a job that I love to do, serving others, while living on a giant farm, because farm life is the best life,” Remlinger said. “I want to be loving life, reading books. In Washington where I was raised — it literally has everything I need to be happy: snow for skiing, plenty of mountains for hiking, and city life to satisfy my inner-diva.”
Remlinger said how she felt as though coming to Pepperdine was an immense change from her hometown, however, she has made lasting friendships that feel as though they are her Malibu-based family.
“I love my girlfriends; those ladies make my life complete,” Remlinger said. “It’s all starting to make sense to me now, even from writing my vocation essay for freshmen year seminar. I am beginning to really discover who I am.”
Remlinger said she is excited for what’s in store for her future and is motivated to keep moving forward in the direction of serving others, and always providing a positive light into every situation she comes across.
“What has really shaped me into who I am today are all of the mistakes I have made in my life,” Remlinger said. “Pepperdine has made me more aware of who I am as a person and what is important to me, especially recently. I have felt an overwhelming sense of God’s presence. I’m so blessed to live this life.”
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