What committee are you part of and what roles have you held?
During my 3 years as a part of Showdance I have been on their committee for 2 years in the positions of: Social Secretary, Tap Coach and Secretary.
What made you want to run for a committee role?
My main reason for running for committee was that I simply wanted to try and make a difference to the club. During my first year I threw myself into everything the club had to offer, from socials to Superteams, and from Varsity to Rugby7s. Through taking part in literally everything I could, I had plenty of ideas for how I thought things could work better as well as new ideas for the club going forwards. In running for a committee position I was able to give back to the club that made my first year amazing as well as creating some new lasting traditions.
What has been the most enjoyable part of being on committee?
It’s so rewarding to be on committee when you see that you’ve made a difference to your members. Having freshers come up to you to say that you’ve made them feel welcomed and a part of the family is one of the best things! Also, having the control to shape where your club goes is also really rewarding because you can see how the club progresses thanks to things you’ve done! It really is so rewarding to see the number of freshers coming into your club and having a great time knowing that you were a part of making that happen.
Can you tell us about a time where your role was challenging?
Social Secretary – In this role I found one of the hardest things was keeping both sponsors and members happy. Being sponsored by bars and pubs in town is great, but you have to make sure you stick to your end of the deal. And with student life on a budget its hard to keep a night cheap for members as well as fulfilling the requirements of social agreements with clubs/bars.
Secretary – Although I’m generally a very organised person, there are certain points in the year when the calendar is jam-packed with multiple events coinciding. Trying to juggle uni work alongside all of the events within the club can sometimes be quite challenging and stressful when you’re trying to keep on top of work, lead sessions and classes as well as organising and co-ordinating so many different events.
Tap Coach – Being a coach was really rewarding for me a you can see how much people improve in such a short space of time. I would say this role was definitely more rewarding as opposed to challenging; however, it can be difficult to organise effective and beneficial training when you have to cater for differing levels of ability, from beginner to advanced, within the same class.
Do you feel that being on a committee has been beneficial in terms of preparing you for the future?
I definitely feel that being on committee has massively helped in preparing me for the future. By being on committee I have gained a new level of confidence as well as valuable experience in taking control and leading large groups. By being on committee you will work alongside other committees as well as each other, organise events, deal with disputes and manage a busy schedule, alongside many other tasks. At the time it seems like daily uni life, but you don’t realise how much experience you gain whilst fulfilling the role; skills that you can take with you and use to your advantage in job applications and interviews.
What piece of advice would you give to an incoming committee member?
For anyone starting a new committee role I would really advise everyone to speak to the current committee member that holds your position to get a good idea of everything that your role entails as this will be very different for each club. But at the same time, I would also advise new committee members to really push themselves and don’t be afraid to share new ideas or start something new. It can be very tempting to keep the club running in the same way year on year, and to an extent you will want to keep certain club traditions going strong. But looking back at my time on committee, I am most proud of times when I suggested something new and my idea was implemented and became a big success, creating a new legacy for the club! Although following traditions is important, it is also nice to look back at positive changes and think… “I did that!”. So, for all new committee members, don’t be afraid to try something new as well as continuing fabulous club traditions. Sometimes it may not work, but more often than not you’ll be glad you did it! Good luck as new committee members and if you ever have any questions about being on committee feel free to pop me a message! I know I was only committee for one club but during that time I’ve seen how a lot of clubs operate so may be able to offer some help and advice! x
Check out more about Showdance here. If you want to know more about getting involved with clubs or being on committee get in touch with your Student Opportunities Officer (suopportunities@aber.ac.uk).