Fill out this document, organize that event, call this person, make this poster, turn in that paperwork…oh and do all of your homework while also maintaining a social life and getting enough sleep! This is just a small glance into the day-to-day life of a student leader; it’s a little hectic, to say the least. Talk to anyone who has been a club officer or leader while in college and they will tell you it’s crazy trying to maintain balance in the different areas in their life.
Luckily, we know how they feel. Below are just a few of the challenges student leaders face in the line of duty:
1. Learning how to fill out all of the paperwork for all of the important stuff:
Why are there so many forms to fill out? Is all this really necessary?
2. Trying to organize the big event for the year:
As you rush from place to place trying to gather all the supplies you need to make this weekend go smoothly, you wonder what normal, non-busy people are doing and dream of those moments of freedom.
3. When NO ONE is responding to your message about how to do that really important thing:
Pls friends. This is a Very Important Thing that I need your help with because I have no idea what I’m doing. ANSWER YOUR DANG PHONE.
4. Procrastinating on your homework by working on club stuff instead:
Writing that ten-page paper due tomorrow or finishing that poster that’s for a fundraiser two weeks from now? Obviously the poster is priority number one.
5. Sacrificing sleep to finish the homework that you ignored while handling club business:
“WHY DID I THINK THIS WAS A GOOD PLAN?” I quietly scream at 2am the morning before a big class presentation as I rush to finish it.
6. Not having time for actual friendships because all your friends are also in the club so all you end up talking about is more club stuff:
Finally a coffee date with friends…but oh no, did you finish that paperwork and schedule that other event for this weekend?
7. Watching all your free time slowly fade away as club activities increase:
Ah, how time flies when you spend literally all your free time either planning for the club or catching up on homework you ignored.
8. Dealing with older adults who treat you like a kid and not the capable leader you are:
Yes, please speak to me as though I do not know how any of this works and obviously am not capable of managing my life.
9. Becoming almost uncomfortably close with your team because you spend all your time together:
They know pretty much everything there is to know about you, because when you aren’t planning for the club, you’re gossiping and sharing weird life stories.
10. But, in the end, you put up with it all because you love being a leader:
At the end of the day you wouldn’t change a thing because you love being a part of the team and working with an amazing group of people. And honestly, who needs free time anyway?