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Linking Young Minds Together
  Volume 3 | Issue 21 | May 29, 2011 |


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Young Voices

Confessions of a Cluboholic!

Faiza Alam

Creativity develops the young minds.

Have you ever been a part of any student club? Have you ever debated, organised concerts or a shanskritik event, written articles for your club newsletter, gone for a blood donation drive, participated at indoor or outdoor games, attended conferences for days at a stretch, or gone for internship programmes through student organisations? Have you earnestly worked your life out for a club activity and enjoyed the adrenaline rush going through you? If you have, welcome to my world!

Student clubs can be your friend, and foe, at the same time.

Being a part of student clubs is all about the exposure to team building activities. It is a great way to mentally exercise tricks and trade to work along with a team. For some, it becomes a popularity contest. For others, it's an excuse to finish their assigned tasks. In the process of team building, members are exposed to their negative character traits which prevent them from succeeding in a team. At this point, some people become de-motivated and disheartened. But then, self realisation is the first step to improvement. So, they start working on highlighting their positive traits and getting rid of the negative ones, and thus a team player evolves.

All this time, these members look up to/look down upon their team leaders and say to themselves, "Hey, I want to be in that position!" or, “Hey, elections are coming up. I want to choose my leader!” Next stop, POLITICS! Here is where the ultimate drama, controversy, scandal, and animosity develop. Campaigning can go to a whole new level when it comes to student clubs. Friends become enemies, and enemies become friends. Your trusted souls transform into beautiful liars, and boy, do things get nasty sometimes! All in all, it's a full-on drama. The rush of the moment may appear too much to handle at the beginning, but once you get the hold of it, you are the ace of spades. So you think you have won the battle? Look around you and you will find other GOOD players of the game. They can turn the tables of victory upside down. The opponent's last say -- don't hate the player, hate the game!

From time and beyond, battles have been fought with the same outlook with which club politics work. It's the same animal instinct, the same rush of ego, optimism, and winning spree. So before we start looking negatively upon any of the club activity, ask yourself this question -- is it going to be any better in the job market? The answer is NO. We go to school to be educated, and we participate in club activities to be trained to be a survivor of the fittest, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Those who take club activities too seriously often lose track of their real aim in life. We are students and sacrificing our education is the worst offence. Let club activity remain a part of your life, not become your life. A club position may appear the biggest thing in the world for that moment. However, do keep reminding yourself where you will be once this is all over. I hope you are not someone who struggles to find the answer!

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