Hi my lovely people!
I have the honour of starting of this years blogposts and I’m so excited to tell you all about my life as a Board member, my function and my personal experience. We are already half way through the year and time is flying by!
Stepping into my role as the Commissioner External Contacts this year was something and not going to lie, the start was a bit scary. I was very excited to start, but with the start came a lot of figuring out and learning and I am still learning. The learning starts the moment we are announced as Candidate Board and the ball never stops rolling. As the CEC you learn a lot about the professional side of the association; company meetings, contracts, and negotiating money deals. That was a big learning curve, I went from getting payed in used body lotion because I was too scared to even talk about money or ask other people for anything, to having money talks for my function. Exposure therapy really does work, and companies are very supportive when you say you are new which helped me a lot in finding my way in my function. So if you’re scared, anyone can learn! It is such an amazing feeling to finally close a partnership that makes everyone happy.
The first few months were mostly figuring out how to make contracts, invoices, and getting used to my new planning. That is something I also learned this year, planning is very important especially when having meetings is the main part of your function. In the beginning that was hard because you also need time to do other stuff so having 10 meetings in one day is not the best idea (I can speak from experience). Now that I know how long things take, planning is way easier.
Asking for help and saying no are the two things in which I am growing the most, and thankfully I am because it is very important in a Board year. You can’t do everything alone and you are a team; one board, one task ;) Luckily I have the best Board ever and they are helping me learn these new skills. Apart from my function as the CEC, I am also the Board confidant. As this job I am available for members that want to get something off their chest.
As Board you also have a lot of contact with other associations and that might be the part I love most! During the CoBo’s, meetings, or just in the hallway you get to know other Boards and hear about their associations. The socializing part of my function and a Board year is by far my favourite thing. I am also a part of the organization SSPN with a lot of other psychology study associations through the country. Together we organise the Masters event and expand our views of how we can help our associations. Every year two people from the Board, almost always the Chair, CEC or CE, will join and get their own role in organising this event. Together with a Board member from another association I am the Chair so we are making sure that everything is fixed for the event and that all the other members of SSPN know what is expected of them. It is a lot of fun working so closely together with these associations to a common goal for all of our members.
Next to my function, I have my general Board tasks. This lets me work together with committees (vo for Cookcie, Pedcie and Wintersportcie) and my amazing Board. Together we organise borrels, make tosti’s while chilling in the room, and set up Active Member Day and Weekend. This year is giving me friends for life and connections that I could only have dreamed of when I started uni. Making the choice to do a Board year wasn’t easy, but it was the best choice I made and it is giving me the best experiences.
If you have more questions about being an external, the student confidant or just Board in general, I’m always down for a yap session since it is the basis of my function! Come by the room sometimes and 9 out of 10 times I will be there jumping around.
Lots of love, kisses and hugs,
Maeve Hermers
Commissioner External Contacts of the 79th Board 💚