The following article was written by Stephanie Kalo, First Year Representative 2017-2018 and Vice President Internal 2019-2020.
By now, you’ve probably heard about First Year Rep. elections and the First Year Committee. People have told you time and time again what a great opportunity it is and that you “shouldn’t wait to get involved,” but what exactly does that mean? After all, the entire first week of school is filled with people telling you to join this committee, sign up for these clubs, or attend that event. As exciting as it all is, you’ll eventually realize that you can’t possibly do it all at once.
The good news is that you’ll have four (or, let’s be honest…five,) years to explore all the different avenues that Asper and it’s many extracurriculars have to offer, so nothing needs to be figured out yet! But, there is one thing I’d recommend if you’re looking for a good place to start…
FIRST YEAR REPRESENTATIVE(S)
If you ask me, this is one of the best things you can do in your first year if you’re looking to gain knowledge, experience, confidence, and of course, friends! When I made the decision to run for First Year Representative in my first year, those were exactly the kinds of things I was after too.
At that point, I had only been in Asper for about a week and a half and was terrified by the thought of putting myself out there. I told myself that it was only my first year of university and that there would be more time for things like this in the future, but then I suddenly thought, “what’s the worst that could happen?”
The truth is, this was one of, if not the best decision I made in all of first year. The election alone helped me meet other first years, get my name and face out there, and gain immense confidence in myself. So, whether or not you’re successful in getting elected, putting your name in the running always pay off.
To give you an idea of some of the roles and responsibilities of the two first year reps, they are there to act as the liaison between the first-year students and the rest of the Commerce Students’ Association (CSA). As first year rep, you will not only attend monthly CSA meetings, but also pass on information regarding events, opportunities and updates from the CSA to other first years, and vice versa.
The two first year reps will also work together to lead the first year committee which is comprised of nine other first year students who take on a variety of roles including finance, marketing, fundraising, planning social events, and spearheading charity initiatives.
Remember that the first-year committee is not just about the first-year reps and their committee members; it’s primary purpose is to serve all first year students. For this reason, the committee will hold general council meetings throughout the year where all first years will be invited to receive updates and provide input on the things the committee is working on.
Overall, being a first year representative is an amazing way to kick off your career at Asper, so enjoy it, learn from it, and keep building on these experiences! Not only is it a valuable learning experience, but it’s also a lot of fun – and that’s exactly what your first year should be about!
Good luck, have fun, and remember to put yourself out there!