Many who start their studies in Laurea are thinking “I’m just going to go to classes and get my diploma asap!”. At the time I was thinking quite the opposite. After I started my studies I realized how much there are things to do and possibilities to explore in Laurea. I remember thinking “Since I’m a student, let’s go all in for it!”. And that’s where it all began.
I was voted the President of the Board for the student union for the year 2017. The student union as a advocate to all students of Laurea seemed to be the place for me. I also wanted to deepen my knowledge and learn completely new things. The decision making processes of the student union, advocacy work, strategic actions, leading the board and the employees and working in the Management team of Laurea gave quite a broad perspective on how the university world works. Being in the board of the student union has taught me more about how society works than I have learned before in my life. And I have gotten to see how all those decisions and plans have come to fruition. Not just words in a piece of paper, even though some may say so.
Is being in the board all fun and games then? No. There are times when the work is demanding mentally and sometimes even physically. Your own strength might be tested. There are times when you might even think is it all worth it? I wouldn’t still change my experiences in the board for anything. Your own growth and development will occur if you are willing to put the work into it and sometimes being in your discomfort zone. I have learned things that I won’t do in the future. I have also learned new things that I’m intrested in. And these lessons I wouldn’t have learned if I wouldn’t have had the courage to try something completely new.
Before going to the board I would have never thought that I would enjoy doing agendas for meetings or writing the next years action plan. And I never could have imagined to be planning Laurea’s next strategic points with Laurea’s uppest management. Being the president of the board had opened doors to me that I will probably never reach anymore. A unique experience indeed.
Lastly, I will return to the start. If you are still thinking “I’m just going to go to classes and get my diploma asap!” than I would like you to ponder about it for a second. You have the possibility to try to do, accomplish and participate in things but after graduation you won’t have the chance anymore. Why not then check out all the cards you have before putting the rest back into the deck?
written by Roope Kuivalainen, the President of the Board 2017
Check out the instructions to apply to the board of Laureamko!