What inspired you to take on these roles?
AAO
I was year rep for my second and third years of my physics degree and I really enjoyed it as I could actually see that I was making an difference in the education of my peers and having an impact on the education of hundreds of students. It has also helped me shape my negotiation skills, which weren't very good at the start of university!
Cheer Social Sec
I joined cheerleading in my second year, and spending the majority of my time in a very male-dominated environment, it was a great way to expand my pool of friends with fellow girls. In cheerleading a lot is based on trust, so the club bonds together very tightly. I loved spending time with them both during and outside of practice, so thought I'd be a good person to lead the social activities this year.
What is your favourite thing about your roles?
AAO
I am on a lot of different committees across the college and have really enjoyed finding out more about how the university is run behind the scenes. But the best thing is the ability to make big, long term changes when collaborating with staff.
Social Sec
When we decide on a theme for the ACC bar night, and everyone turns up in full force, it puts a big smile on my face!
Has it met your expectations?
AAO
I wasn't quite sure what AAO would entail before I started it, but there's a lot of freedom and scope to shape the role to what you want to do with it.
Social Sec
There's been a bit more stress than I initially expected, because our big socials (known as Save the Cheerleader) not only have a preceding reputation, but are also a very large source of income for the club and without it the cost of doing the sport would be a lot higher. So there's a lot of pressure on me to ensure it is a success!
Why would you encourage other Imperial students to volunteer?
It's a great way to build on skills that you already have and develop new ones that you didn't ever think you were capable of.
What have been the benefits?
I personally think my extra-curricular activities are my favourite thing about being at Imperial. They've helped me become more confident, a better public speaker, and introduced me to friends from across the College that I would never have otherwise made.
What has been the highlight of your experience?
Probably the opportunity to appear in two centrefolds this year!
