My eagerness to help and my fondness for the BSU has meant that I have the opportunity to continue as BSU President until the end of my studies. It will certainly be something I will be sad to say goodbye to once I leave, and will continue to look back on for years to come. It has been a pleasure to represent sport at this University, and I hope I can continue to do a good job for the next few months!
There is no doubt that being a student leader has been my favourite part of my University experience. Before coming to University, I had no idea that is was possible to become so involved in the student experience, or to become such an active member of the campus community, but over the past year I feel as though I truly have leaped into the world of the Students Union.
I have had a great time organising parties at the OTM, and not such a great time clearing them up at 5am. I have loved attending training sessions, and felt exhausted at training after work. I have enjoyed hosting sporting events, and felt disheartened when no one shows up. But for all the few, and far between, negatives of volunteering within the student experience sector, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Specifically, though, I think the role of BSU President is a wonderful one. I get to work within the SU volunteer team and have my input on SU decisions, and I get to work alongside the SU staff who support the ideas I have and help me to see them through. Most importantly, however, I get to be a part of a group of sport executives and be the one supporting and leading other people – something that I will carry forward into work for the rest of my life.
Sport at a Higher Education level is seen almost as a requirement for University life, and therefore an automatic part of the extra-curricular agenda. But it actually takes a lot of commitment from staff and students to keep sport running at a University; without those students who take over the clubs, there wouldn’t be any sport to take part in. So, to have such an active role in providing an essential service to students is extremely rewarding.
Whilst I am keen to avoid talking about COVID-19 and lockdown, it has to be mentioned that being a student leader during this time has been an odd one. Your ability to reach people, to hold events and to be present within the University community, all seem impossible when your only access to that world is through a computer screen. And yet, over the past few months, I have found my ability to communicate and my enthusiasm for my role has grown more than ever. When your power to do things is limited in such a way, you are forced to become creative in how you connect with students, how you spend your time; whether I have been wise in that creativity, is another thing.
Am I going to spend an hour creating Instagram highlight covers? Obviously!
Should I message the sports chat for the tenth time today? Absolutely!
Am I going to reorganise the entire BSU Google Drive and create an unnecessary number of spreadsheets? Yes, yes I am!
My eagerness to help and my fondness for the BSU has meant that I have the opportunity to continue as BSU President until the end of my studies. It will certainly be something I will be sad to say goodbye to once I leave, and will continue to look back on for years to come. It has been a pleasure to represent sport at this University, and I hope I can continue to do a good job for the next few months!