Campaign Groupie

My first direct encounter with student politics was probably the same as many students', and fairly negative. As treasurer of the NUS at one point, my mother was heavily involved in student politics, and I grew up with the vague idea that students were often politically enthused and active. I guess I never really looked too closely at how that view matched up to my more general observations of my peers.

I was still shocked, however, that the Union had to resort to such measures as threatening society budgets in order to coerce students to attend the AGM. I was still further shocked when, after indignantly reporting my discovery to my mother down the phone, I was informed with no small hint of amusement, that yes, this had always been the case.

Well, I can understand why, it really was all rather boring. Still feel a bit duped, though, and far more freakish than I previously considered myself. Apparently, I probably am the only person online that's read LotR rpg fanfiction and a transcript of the PM's Question Time at the same time. Who'd have thought.

Anyway, the AGM was boring. Cardiff University is in the final stages of a merger with the medical college, a couple of boring old men talked to us about that, and then we voted on obvious issues such as whether the medical students should be allowed to vote in the coming elections. If I remember correctly, there were no abstentions, and only 2 or 3 pranksters against. Upon being asked if it was actually possible to withhold the right to vote from the medics, there may even have been a spiderman quote: "With [great] power comes [great] responsibility..." I am ashamed to say that I left early with the majority of those assembled, and headed up to the pub where we'd been promised a free drink for attending.

I am a detestable apathetic, lazy and boozing. Looked like I wasn't following in Mum's footsteps after all.

On Wednesday night, however, I put on makeup and wore a specific t-shirt. I went out to the pub at the Union and had a couple of drinks. I was cheerful, friendly, highly visible, and, dare I say it, possibly even bouncy. Before I'd had the drinks, may I add.

I made my way around practically the entire bar, grinning up at nameless faces and making random conversation, smiling constantly. I laughed at bad jokes, listened to slightly-drunks, cajoled and was cajoled.

"Bouncy" is probably what should have given away the game. I'm rarely bouncy, even after a couple of drinks, let alone before. I normally keep to myself, and unless you get me babbling about something I'm comfortable with I don't generally say much. I'm not very good with large groups, or even small groups, and people with whom I have happily conversed at length one-to-one often seem surprised when I clam up once we attach to a group.

I'm quite comfortable with people I don't know, however, and I can't remember a single name from Wednesday. "Bouncy" was affected but I think positive, I was helping a friend out campaigning for a sabbatical position with the university. I rolled the sleeves of the t-shirt up, and for once withheld my irritation with others' overt stareouts with my chest. It was quite legible, after all.

Gary Andrews for Media Officer.

You know, the only people that were actually mean to me were medics. I wish to hell I'd cared about that vote a bit more, principles be damned.

If you're a student (which you're probably not), and if you're at Cardiff (which, once again, you're probably not), and if you're planning on voting (which you should be), then you should vote Gary Andrews for Media Officer (which you're probably doing already).

Possibly an entirely pointless entry, but Gary isn't actually allowed to campaign online. I can understand that in terms of email, but he isn't even allowed a webpage. It should be ok to mention him here however, and I plan to discuss this shamefully archaic campaign ruling at a future date.