Let’s face it, being in charge of a group, club or project with other students AND administration expecting things from you at the same time as pulling you in different directions can make anyone seem crazy. (It’s a good crazy, I promise.)
These are all inspired by my own experience from college. I’d love to hear your own crazy student leader stories!
1. Lugging incredibly out of place objects around campus.
You know, carrying a huge scoreboard you had to pick up from the gym for the weekend’s basketball tournament into the library because you had to run to a study group. (Your study group was only slightly embarrassed.)
Or casually organizing teams of 2 at a time to carry massive bamboo sticks for a cultural dance practice from one building to another across campus. (#greatmarketing?)
2. Making wake-up calls to club members.
That’s right. Literally calling your members at 9AM to remind them that they are supposed to be at dance practice for the fast approaching play and getting a “mmfffOK ImgettinUP” in response
Because secretly, VP of a club means MOM.
3. Stealing from the the garbage around your student center.
Come on, we are all on a budget here, and nobody wanted that cardboard outside the office…
Bonus points: going around and asking different student governments to look out for [insert item here] for you. (Spoiler alert: student leaders come through with your ridiculous request because they are awesome.)
4. Plugging your club into every class discussion.
You just can’t help it. All your experiences are because of your organization. YOU LIVE AND BREATHE YOUR CLUB.
“Well this statistical principle makes sense because one time I took a survey of my club’s members and I found that…”
5. Realizing people on campus have certain keywords they use when they want to have some fun and watch you twitch.
They get this mischievous look in their eye and say…”Hey, Commuter Week.” or “Hey…Spring Fling.”
And you get to watch their amused face as you accidentally shudder, scream a little, or feel your eye spasm. It really isn’t fair that they know what stresses you out! And it definitely doesn’t matter that the event already happened. -twitch-
6. Never-ending dreams about the above mentioned most stressful event.
I graduated from college and I still have anxiety dreams about my club’s biggest event of the year.
You’re probably asking yourself one of two things right now.
1. Is this girl insane?
2. Why do I relate to these things, and WHY do I put myself through this?
My answers:
1. Probably a little, but I don’t think I would have gotten hired by Swift Kick if I wasn’t a little out there.
2. We put ourselves through this because we are lucky enough to know what it means to be passionate about other people and about a cause. We know what it means to pull out EVERY STOP because this event is going to be amazing, or we are going to die trying (not literally). We know that in the end, if we aren’t stressed about our commitment, we aren’t really happy. Because when you are a dedicated student leader, you take pride in all the antics. You know that you’ve made a huge difference in your organization’s history. You know that people are counting on you, and if you’re really lucky, you might break down in tears sometimes in your room because you realize how fortunate you are to have your role.
Maybe it’s just me. I am a passionate person and once I believe in something, nothing is going to stop me from giving my all. I found it in college in a cultural club that became my world and my family. I really hope you find it too.
-Sabina
