Monday 09-12-2019 - 13:30

It’s the final two weeks of Semester One! Want to know what your elected Executive Committee have got up to this semester? Every day they will be posting their updates as we countdown to Christmas! Next up is Vic, your Vice President, Education & Welfare...

Hi everyone,

I’m Vic, your Vice President, Education & Welfare of the Student Union. I hope everyone is enjoying their December so far, and bet you’re all in need of a well-rested break filled with lots of food and Christmas spirit. Christmas is my FAVOURITE time of the year, and I’m very much looking forward to a break. Typically, the winter break comes at the end of a long year and a long semester, where everyone can (hopefully) chill, relax and re-cooperate in time for January when everything starts up again.

This blog post is a space where we in the Student Union can write about our time in office, what we have achieved and what we have found difficult. Sitting here writing this blog post, I could easily write about how much I have achieved within this semester and what an amazing time I have had working alongside some amazing people (which isn’t a lie), but I would be leaving out a huge part of my time in this position. I have really struggled coming out of a university setting (I know I’m still here, can’t let go) and seeing my friends all the time. Coming into a new job is stressful anyway, but especially so when you are constantly held accountable by 8,000 students! It’s always hectic and I think coming into this job I didn’t realise how much I was going to be accountable for.

Having experienced both an undergrad and a postgrad life, I know that this time of year is SO stressful and everyone is just fighting to get to the end of semester. Reading this blog you don’t need to see how much of an amazing job everyone’s is doing, when that’s not the whole story. A large proportion of our job is letting students know what amazing things we’ve been able to achieve for them, or letting them know the progress we are making on projects that will impact them, but no-one really sees the struggles we go through. We struggle just like EVERYONE else does, and it’s about time we talk about it. It is our job to be able to campaign on behalf of students, and we see students daily that are not talking about their feelings and reaching out for help. We can only expect people to take on board our advice if we practice what we preach. I know that while a student myself (and I still do this neow), I doubted and compared myself all the time to other people who seemed to have their life together, and wondered why I struggled so much when others didn’t. But that’s not the case, some people just put on a better front than others. People struggle at different points in their life, we should never compare ourselves and should instead break the stigma, talk about it and reach out for help. We’re all in the same boat trying to reach this impossible, idealistic goal which is unachievable to be on top of the world all the time. So, let’s STOP and actually hold our hands up when we need help, when we need to talk, especially around this time when life is naturally more stressful, and I’ll more than happily be the first one to do so!

Don’t get me wrong, I say it on social media and in person all the time - this job is the best job in the world. It allows me to help other people, influence positive change and make a real difference within our university and this is just another way that I can do this. Speaking about typically negative subjects can have positive outcomes, and by showing that everyone goes through rubbish days, it allows people to be more genuine with their feelings with other people. This job allows me to be completely transparent and truthful with students, showing them that things can and will get better when you persevere and give it time.

So, I guess when you next hear from me, it will be the start of a new semester and a new year! Bring on 2020 and let’s make this a year for self-care and bettering ourselves by empowering each other in all walks of life!

Sending out lots of SU love & Merry Christmas wishes,

Vic x