Saturday morning and I'm working hard. Nominations had to be handed in yesterday so today the campaigning begins proper. I'm actually buzzing with the excitement of starting this now. I've been thinking about it for a long time and now it's time to go out there and ask students what they want.
I've mentioned that I'm running for Vice President of Community at the Liverpool Students Union and I'm going to take this very seriously. The Community role is relatively new as before last year it was not part of our union. Our current VP of Community has done a great job so far. He's made the position an integral factor in helping student life and I hope to take on the reigns and make even more of a positive difference.
Because the role is relatively new, there is a lot of room for creativity and something you'll learn about me is that I rate creativity very highly. So I'm excited. I know I can make a difference and now it's just about explaining to you how I will.
Over the next few days I'll be going through my policies and hopefully be taking questions from you all. Thanks for reading.
Saturday 27 February 2010
Wednesday 24 February 2010
Blog to Procrastinate
Manifesto due in two days. I still haven't completely finished it. It's not that I'm nervous. It's just that there's too much on at the moment. Between Looprevil Press and Looprevil Radio, University assignments and work at the union, it's just getting pushed back.
It's cool though. I've done enough research to write one out and I thrive on the last minute pressure. It gives me that one last boost of motivation. So instead of blogging here i'm going to go get some work done now. Have a meeting later. Living life more in meetings than not at the moment. Come to think of it, I spend more time at the Union than I do at university or at home for that matter. We're becoming one entity! Hah!
It's cool though. I've done enough research to write one out and I thrive on the last minute pressure. It gives me that one last boost of motivation. So instead of blogging here i'm going to go get some work done now. Have a meeting later. Living life more in meetings than not at the moment. Come to think of it, I spend more time at the Union than I do at university or at home for that matter. We're becoming one entity! Hah!
Tuesday 23 February 2010
Convergence
Today was interesting. There was a meeting at the Union about how societies and sports teams are going to recruit and organize themselves for the next academic year. What's interesting is the disassociation between the clubs and societies at the Union. When Looprevil was just starting out, one of my goals was to make sure that we create a link with all the sports and societies so that there would be some sort of cohesion. Although this worked to some extent (we have had collaborations with some sports teams and worked together with a few societies) it did not live up to my expectations.
Then there's days like today where I realize that there is no joint community spirit between the volunteer groups at our Union. It's frustrating, especially since I'm trying to establish the student media here, to see that each social group is too embedded in their own processes to work well with others.
I really want to change this. I realize that our university, because of being scattered across the city, makes it difficult for people to find some kind of centralization. However, it's up to us to make a change happen. A sense of community develops through many ways and sometimes just having a bar and a sign that says "Students Union" doesn't work. One of the main ones I'm going to be working on if I'm elected to this Vice President of Community position is more combined events for all the union's sports teams and societies. These events need to be quirky, they need to be unique and creative. These events need to combine different social and ethical groups. We can all learn so much from diversity.
So with that said, the thinking cap goes on and hopefully they creativity will flow out.
Then there's days like today where I realize that there is no joint community spirit between the volunteer groups at our Union. It's frustrating, especially since I'm trying to establish the student media here, to see that each social group is too embedded in their own processes to work well with others.
I really want to change this. I realize that our university, because of being scattered across the city, makes it difficult for people to find some kind of centralization. However, it's up to us to make a change happen. A sense of community develops through many ways and sometimes just having a bar and a sign that says "Students Union" doesn't work. One of the main ones I'm going to be working on if I'm elected to this Vice President of Community position is more combined events for all the union's sports teams and societies. These events need to be quirky, they need to be unique and creative. These events need to combine different social and ethical groups. We can all learn so much from diversity.
So with that said, the thinking cap goes on and hopefully they creativity will flow out.
Thursday 18 February 2010
Manifestation of the Manifesto
So I've been attempting to write out my manifesto. It's more difficult than it seems. I know what I want to achieve and I know how I want to achieve it but to put it down on paper is...tricky. It's slowly taking shape now though. I have a week to hand it in so that's enough time to create something that I can work with.
I'm beginning to worry that this is going to be more of a popularity contest than an actual democratic electoral process (then again, aren't they all!). It's all about who you know when it should be who is best for the job. Representation of students is something that should be taken very seriously and I fear that with systems like these in place, the best person for the job doesn't get it. But what would be an alternative? That's exactly it, there aren't any viable alternatives as they would break democracy. It's an ugly game, but I have to play it if I want to make a difference in the future.
Hard work. That's the key. Setting goals and achieving them. A kick ass campaign. And hopefully a lot of support for the right reasons. For now I can only put in the work behind the scenes.
One month and one week from today we'll see where that work has got me to.
I'm beginning to worry that this is going to be more of a popularity contest than an actual democratic electoral process (then again, aren't they all!). It's all about who you know when it should be who is best for the job. Representation of students is something that should be taken very seriously and I fear that with systems like these in place, the best person for the job doesn't get it. But what would be an alternative? That's exactly it, there aren't any viable alternatives as they would break democracy. It's an ugly game, but I have to play it if I want to make a difference in the future.
Hard work. That's the key. Setting goals and achieving them. A kick ass campaign. And hopefully a lot of support for the right reasons. For now I can only put in the work behind the scenes.
One month and one week from today we'll see where that work has got me to.
Wednesday 17 February 2010
Playing catch up
Today has been a long day already. I've been slacking on assignments recently due to other commitments but now it's time to pull my socks up so I've been reading extra. I need to catch up this week otherwise I'll be left behind. Priority number one: pass university.
So tired though! This is what I feel like today :)
So tired though! This is what I feel like today :)
Finding inspiration
Inspiration is a strange and elusive feeling. There's days when I can be inspired simply by thinking about my goals or by looking at something in a new light. Then there's other days where the goals seem so far away that I just feel drained of any emotion. Still, that doesn't mean I give up the struggle. I love to work. I love to create. But there are still days where you look out of the window and everything seems dry, everything seems colourless.
We fall into patterns. It's inevitable. It's unavoidable if we are to continue living in society. Patterns define culture, religion, social structures, businesses. Patterns define life. Eventually these patterns become boring and we need to move off into another direction until that new direction becomes a pattern in itself.
The way I avoid lack of inspiration is by constantly moving in new directions. There is so much to learn from so many people and places. I don't know what's going to happen but I'd rather have tried to understand and learn as much as possible before I eventually settle into a life on mundanity.
Anyway, this is just obsolete rambling now so i'm going to stop. Just needed to vent and only have my laptop to listen to me. It's amazing how much time we spend together, my laptop and I :)
We fall into patterns. It's inevitable. It's unavoidable if we are to continue living in society. Patterns define culture, religion, social structures, businesses. Patterns define life. Eventually these patterns become boring and we need to move off into another direction until that new direction becomes a pattern in itself.
The way I avoid lack of inspiration is by constantly moving in new directions. There is so much to learn from so many people and places. I don't know what's going to happen but I'd rather have tried to understand and learn as much as possible before I eventually settle into a life on mundanity.
Anyway, this is just obsolete rambling now so i'm going to stop. Just needed to vent and only have my laptop to listen to me. It's amazing how much time we spend together, my laptop and I :)
Monday 15 February 2010
Trying to be wise and thinking of the future
So I'm thinking of running for Vice President of Community at the Liverpool Students' Union. I've currently been outlining my options for my future after university and this job seems to be the best opportunity to make a difference.
I've found that over time I've been growing attached to the Union as a whole. It's strange. I've put in so much of my time and creativity into making The Looprevil Press a success over the past few years and having a Looprevil office at the union and a job at the union as well means that I spend more time there then I do at home.
I've learnt that I hate it when people bad mouth the union. Fine, it has a bad reputation but we're working so hard behind the scenes to make it better and when people don't see the fruits of your labour it's quite deflating. But the people I work with still come back everyday and that "never give up" attitude is what I love. You can tell that the people that work there actually do care about making it a better place. It's not only a job. It becomes a challange, at least it has for me.
So, this Vice President of Community position, it's going to be interesting if I do manage to get it. Campaigning starts soon and all I can do is my best. I still don't feel like i've proved my full potential by starting up the newspaper and the radio station at the union. I still have more to give. It's going to be a lot of hard work but I love to work. It's my drug.
Anyway, the research begins now.
I've found that over time I've been growing attached to the Union as a whole. It's strange. I've put in so much of my time and creativity into making The Looprevil Press a success over the past few years and having a Looprevil office at the union and a job at the union as well means that I spend more time there then I do at home.
I've learnt that I hate it when people bad mouth the union. Fine, it has a bad reputation but we're working so hard behind the scenes to make it better and when people don't see the fruits of your labour it's quite deflating. But the people I work with still come back everyday and that "never give up" attitude is what I love. You can tell that the people that work there actually do care about making it a better place. It's not only a job. It becomes a challange, at least it has for me.
So, this Vice President of Community position, it's going to be interesting if I do manage to get it. Campaigning starts soon and all I can do is my best. I still don't feel like i've proved my full potential by starting up the newspaper and the radio station at the union. I still have more to give. It's going to be a lot of hard work but I love to work. It's my drug.
Anyway, the research begins now.
Friday 12 February 2010
Busy Bee
So the past few weeks have been incredibly busy. Things just seem to come up over and over again. Issues that can be resolved easily tend to drag out because everyone is distracted by how "busy" they are. Looprevil Radio is proving to be a lot harder to set up than I thought it would be. But I like challenges so it's fun. One way or another, we will have a working radio station at Liverpool John Moores University before I finish my third year and have to leave.
The worst thing is, and I know I really shouldn't be saying this, but university seems to be getting in the way of moving forward. Assignments are coming in thick and fast and the reading is too time consuming. I still try staying uptodate with everything but it's tiring considering i'm trying to hold up a lot more.
Right, it's Friday night and I have to get going so I'm going to shoot this post off into the chasms of cyberspace.
The worst thing is, and I know I really shouldn't be saying this, but university seems to be getting in the way of moving forward. Assignments are coming in thick and fast and the reading is too time consuming. I still try staying uptodate with everything but it's tiring considering i'm trying to hold up a lot more.
Right, it's Friday night and I have to get going so I'm going to shoot this post off into the chasms of cyberspace.
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