Considering the time I spend on the side of the pool rather than in it, you might wonder why I became a board member of the student swimming association (and for two years even). Honestly, I don’t blame you. But instead of answering that question directly, I will explain to you what being board brought to me and I think that you will understand from yourself.
As a board member, you spend a lot of time with the four other cuties that accompany you during this journey. Those four people, no matter how much you knew them before board year, become an integral part of your life and you just know that you can count on them no matter what. Board year honestly brings you amazing friends, and that goes beyond your own board as you also get to meet the wonderful people that represent other associations. As cheesy as it may sound, the best part of a board year is really this: all the people you get to meet through it, all the stuff they teach you (from new skills to cool party tricks), all the great time you spend with them (whether you remember those times or not), and the knowledge that if you struggle with a task, there is a whole community of people that will always be ready to give you a helping hand. Of course, being board also comes with hard times and a sprinkle of stress here and there, but the pros outweigh the cons by a ton or two: you get to see your members improve in the pool, you see your friends (and yourself!) accomplish things they worked really hard for, you get to learn a lot of different skills, and of course, there is a loooot of partying involved as well!
As president, I feel as though this social aspect of a board year is doubled as you are the face of the association to all the external parties. And since you are the one that screams from the blocks at every practice, your members know your face pretty well too. As the social butterfly that I am (at least 80% of the time – gotta recharge those social batteries every once in a while), this position was a great fit for me, and I truly hope that whoever takes my torch will feel the same way!
