I’ve been trying to write this blog for days but life has been ridiculously hectic so I’m grabbing a spare hour to get it done.

Now that I’ve done a year and 6 days as a member of the NEC (National Women’s Officer in case you’ve forgotten!) I thought I’d look back and let you know what it’s really like being a member of the NEC - the good and the bad…

The Lows

• Early morning trains - not only do they cost a fortune, they are too crowded and tend to smell in the summer.
• Being sent to unions in distant parts of the country, only to discover that the event has been cancelled but the message never got through to you (mainly due to that early morning train you caught where you invariably get no signal…)
• Long NEC meetings where you have to grip your seat to stop yourself banging your head against a brick wall.
• The build up to National Conference - say the wrong thing, look at someone the wrong way and prepare for war. Combine this with NEC meetings and it’s never a pretty sight.
• Having long debates with student officers about issues such as the validity of your position and the reasons for (or against!) your liberation campaign
• Getting nasty emails from people who object to your pro-choice campaign (or to you personally. Sometimes both)
• Running out of money at the end of every month (being on the NEC is neither glamorous nor highly paid, despite the rumours).
• Watching close friends lose their election
• Trying to explain your job when all you want is a haircut or a drink down the pub.
• Being told that you’re not allowed opinions of your own.
• If you’re away from your computer for more than 30 seconds, you end up with hundreds of unread emails that all demand immediate attention
• But on the days where you’re in the office, ready to do the paperwork, no-one rings or emails. Go figure.

The Highs

• Running campaigns that really matter and make a difference to students.
• Getting to know activists from across the country, all with their own diverse opinions and ideas.
• Doing freshers fairs - a great way to engage with students and spread the word about your work.
• Women’s Conference - being in a room with so many feminists and activists is always an inspirational and refreshing experience
• NEC meetings where you learn something new and are challenged to change or justify your opinions.
• The opportunity to influence national policy.
• Getting to know the layout of the House of Commons so well that you can give visitors directions!
• Winning controversial policy debates at National Conference.
• Seeing how other NEC members work and exchanging ideas or running a campaign based on a quick conversation over lunch
• Changing someone’s opinion on an issue - especially when that someone isn’t a student or a student officer but a member of the public (or an MP!)
• Working with external organisations and suddenly realising that it’s not just you - but that you are part of something massive, a movement that began years before you were born and will continue long after you’ve shuffled off that proverbial mortal coil…
• Changing something small and watching everything around you change for the better because of it.
• Being asked to write articles for SU magazines or papers, or being invited to speak at SU events.
• Sending out a press release which is picked up and quoted by the national papers!
• When student officers take the time to congratulate you on your work.
• Being part of the biggest student collective in Europe, if not the world.

Bring on 2005-2006 - I hope the lows improve and the highs get higher!

Jo x

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