HOW TO PREPARE- MATERIALS
Physical materials: I made a tri-fold, posters, and flyers to hand out. I made the flyers on Canva and printed out around 200 flyers( with a lot of extras leftover). For the posters I made them by hand just like for my tri-fold. I had some help from my sibling cutting out flyers, my friends to reassure me, and my sponsor to transport my tri-fold. Digital materials: I made Instagram posts using Canva and a website using Wix. I like starting with my website because it is a great way to see the outline for your platform and what might need more refining. I sent my website to my state co-chairs and sponsor to revise it for me and made my Instagram near the end of my campaign when I knew my points really well to make a concise post. The speech: I started writing in late June by writing the heart of my campaign which was me breaking down why it was important and what I would do first. Then I went to the start of my speech and wrote an introduction, making it a little more in depth for the General Assembly version. Most of my time was spent revising my speech by making sure it was not only clear concise, but also something I could speak without tripping over my words, removing anything that I wouldn’ t normally say and practicing the speech out loud.
CAMPAIGN ANALYSIS
Campaigning at Nationals: Since I was currently on the board, I only campaigned when I wasn’ t doing my duties. I would mainly chat with people to make connections and posted my pre-made posts on my Instagram account! I did, however, rely a lot on my delegation to campaign for me which was a huge help and something I highly encourage. For me, I believe you cannot run a campaign on your own and also found that having the support of your peers and delegation cheering you on everyday is a part of the process that makes running really special. Favorite part of campaigning: One of my favorite parts of campaigning was Meet The Candidates. I loved the fact that I got to talk one on one with other JCLers about my campaign and about our community. I also really enjoyed MTC because I got to see all the materials and hard work that my fellow candidates put into their campaigns, and I was able to chat and bond with them. I think that that moment really highlighted the camaraderie that is built even among candidates which makes the campaign experience even better. What you did well: I stayed grounded and confident in the campaign that I had put together. Sometimes it’ s hard to stay true to your ideas when your fellow candidates have amazing campaigns, but I was proud that I stayed true to myself. What you could have improved: I wish I took a second to breathe. Running for office can be a lot of emotions and is sometimes stressful, but it is so rewarding and I wish I took a few more moments to pause, breathe, and make sure to enjoy the moment. Final advice: My biggest advice is to not be scared. Running for office is an absolutely crazy experience and it can seem very daunting to give a speech and take on the challenge of campaigning, but remember that everyone is rooting for you. We’ re all just JCLers who love Latin, Greek, and the Classics just like you and we want to highlight all of the amazing ideas that you have. Your delegation, sponsors, and fellow candidates are there to lift you up so feel free to lean on them when you need to, and if you’ re stressed, take a deep breath. Be confident because you have worked so hard on your campaign and are absolutely capable of being an officer, and enjoy the experience!