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Every Disadvantage has its Advantage

Date:09 June 2015
Author:Tjitske Schokker, first-year UCG student
We can do it!
We can do it!

“It is time to elect a new Caerus board! As decided in the General Assembly, next years board will consist out of five people: chair, treasurer, secretary, external regulation officer, and a committee affairs officer.” - The applications are now open.

When I read this, I was already enthusiastic. A board year, it would offer many opportunities and possibilities - to explore, to learn, to develop. At the same time I would leave many other things out of my already busy schedule, so although this was something I would really like, it took me some time to decide whether this was indeed what I wanted or whether I would prefer to do many other things during my second year at UCG and in Groningen. May 17th - two days after the official application deadline - I decided that this was really an opportunity I did not want to miss and it would be worth it to leave other things, such as committee work and becoming a member of another association. However, it was two days late. Thus I sent an email to the current board, hoping they would still accept my application. After a discussion with the other student who would be running for the same position as I would, they decided to give me a chance to prove myself. Late night laptop sessions to finish my motivational letter and resume were the result, and a couple of days later I had my interview with the advisory committee to check whether I’d run for the right position - indeed I did. Yet, my presentation to the rest of the students should be a bit more personal rather than being politically correct (and thus not that interesting).

So with this feedback, and good hope, I started working on my presentation in order to make it a vibrant one. Also, I started thinking about a “creative assignment” to represent myself and to convince people why they should pick me. I was thinking about what to say, how to say it and how to support the story. Last week Wednesday, the presentation night was finally here! After many nervous conversations with friends and the other competitors, I felt ready (as far as you can be ready for an important presentation). It was a very interesting evening, listening to all the candidates for next year’s board and their ideas and visions for the study association and sharing my own.   

After the presentation night, two nerve-wracking voting days followed. On Friday evening the board would be announced. When sitting on a terrace (since it was a very hot and sunny day), I was called by the current chair of the study association. He told me that - unfortunately - I did not get into the board on the position of Committee Affairs Officer, even though there was hardly a difference in votes. Firstly I was sad, frustrated and most of all, disappointed.  

Yet such a disappointment is something I can learn a lot from. During my whole life I will probably face rejections and thus disappointments, so not only a board year can contribute to my experience - not making it into the board and learning to deal with disappointment can teach me a lot as well.

Also, now I’ll have time for many other activities next year. Or - to quote Johan Cruijff -  “every disadvantage has its advantage”. :)