#SOL16 Day 29 Elections

"I think you should run for President of the Student Government," he told me, his warm brown eyes holding mine. 

 Sophomore year in college, E. was my crush. I looked for his car whenever I drove onto campus, and when I saw it parked in the familiar spot, my heart would beat faster knowing he was around and I might bump into him. Molloy was totally a commuter college at the time, but E. worked on campus in the fitness center and often parked near it. He was older than me, although I didn't exactly know how much older. He was a social work major and had that kind, caring heart that goes along with that job. My crush was totally unrequited.

 But, here he sat across from me, imploring me to run for President of the MSG. I was sophomore class co-president and the current Vice President was slated to run, unopposed, for President, which was usually how elections worked at Molloy. No one ran against anyone else. People floated into positions of power and promptly did.. not much. If I were to run for President, it would be shocking. Well, at least among the 10 current members of the Student Government.

 E. explained he thought I would make positive changes, and he would help me with my campaign. The guy I dreamed about was asking me to run for President, believed in ME as a person who would do a good job?! Could I really say no?

 I recall going out to lunch with him, to a local Chinese restaurant, several times to discuss campaign ideas and strategies. I would waltz in late to one of my communications classes, so unlike me, but lunch with E. was too irresistible, and I found it hard to cut it short to get back in time. For my campaign, I color coordinated my posters and I made pins for people to wear. (Did anyone wear one? I don't remember now, but somehow doubt it.) On the day of the election, E. helped decorate my Saturn with signs and the color-coordinated balloons. I had lots of flyers and a table where I sat with my information. My campaign included many ideas on ways to get students more involved in campus life. I spelled out several specific ideas. My opponent didn't name any ideas and based her slogan on the popular commercial "Gotta Go To Mo's" (substitute "go" for "vote"). 

 The day of the election, there was some funny business with ballots being handed out to the baseball team. I'll never know for sure, but I suspect there ws some cheating. When I got the phone call, after all the ballots were counted, I just knew I lost, and I had. These were the days before text messages, so I think I emailed E. to tell him the news. I felt so awful that I had let him down.

 He reassured me I hadn't. I ran a good campaign and gave it my best try. It wasn't to be. I stepped away from Student Government after that. I probably never would have run without E.'s encouragement and that remains the best part of my memory of running for office. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#SOL16 Lesson From Piper

Image
Have you seen the Disney Pixar Short film Piper ?  If not, go watch...I'll wait. :) I watched this movie today with a few of my students who stay after school for "Club Success" (formerly called "tutoring" but this feels way more positive for the kids who are asked to stay). After we watched Piper , we wrote about the movie and then shared our writing. Each of the three students who wrote touched upon the idea that Piper had to learn how to get the food for herself. Some students mentioned the pride she felt after she learned how to survive the big waves and find food.  We talked about the mistakes she made and how they helped her to learn.  I think this video is a MUST WATCH for a few reasons.  1- It really makes you think about the process of learning and how uncomfortable it can feel when you move to trying something new for the first time.  2-Piper learned by her failed attempts and eventually by finding a mentor and trying his strategy. 3-When ...
Read more

A Working Mom's "I am" Poem #sol15 Day 16

Image
Disclaimer: I have nothing but respect for moms who "stay at home." It is the hardest job.  In my brief stints being a stay at home mom while on maternity leave and on summer vacations, I know that the days are exhausting and challenging.  This poem attempts to capture how I feel about life at the moment, being a third grade teacher and a mom to 2 kids under the age of 5. I am a Working Mom I am exhausted and never done.  I wonder how to find the elusive "work-life" balance  I hear my alarm go off at 3am and trudge downstairs to do the work I couldn't do when the kids were awake I see my work bag,bulging, begging me to finally pay it attention. I want 5 minutes to myself. I am exhausted and never done. I pretend I can do it all I feel the need to eat lots of chocolate I touch my children's soft little cheeks and hug them. I worry I am missing important moments with them. I cry when I feel like I am drowning from it all. I am exhausted and n...
Read more

#SOL19 You Can Go Your Own Way

Image
If you were looking at an Identity Web for me right now (Sara K. Ahmed's Being the Change has been on my mind with our recent #twtblog series and a book study/ workshop I facilitated with the Long Island Writing Project), you would see the added role of "Daisy Co-Leader" as another hat (or Girl Scout tunic?) I am wearing. My daughter, Megan, is a kindergarten student and I have signed on to be her Girl Scout troop co-leader. My fabulous friend and colleague (and down the street neighbor!) is the leader of the troop and she is everything you've ever dreamed of in a Daisy troop leader- enthusiastic, creative, organized, kind, thoughtful, and ambitious. Our troop has done A LOT in our short six months together.  Last night was another Daisy event. We met up with other Girl Scouts from our town and the town right next to us for a "Paint Night." Each girl got a canvas and paints and was instructed, step by step, on how to make a snowman in a winter sc...
Read more