Ok so as most of you know, i did very little campaigning today, doesnt help that we are now entering a study week for many, and alot of classes are cancelled or free study, which is code you can all have a nice long sleep and not bother coming into uni. i like many of you had a good old lay in.... granted my class was technically still one. either way guys i hope you are all well rested and enjoying the fact you dont have to see god awful yellow posters everywhere....my room mates however dont have that luxury as i still have the house just covered in manifestos.
Today though little campaigning was done, mainly due to wether, lack of students and the fact i have alot of hand ins very shortly (yes im not a goodie two shoes, i fall behind in classes just like all of you) It was apparent campaigning wasnt take a wee breather.
Now let me fill you all in on a small fact, im that person whos always glued to their phone, and i know everyone hates that person, but to be honest my friends are scattered all over the country/world, im at that fun point in life everyones just deserted me for work and uni in far off places or even just back home, so i am relatively alone in Derry in that respect, so i do like to keep in touch with them all alot. This is done a fair bit through facebook (many of you that added me may notice im never bloody offline, and pathetically quick to reply) So last weekend due to alot of notifications and election talk while i was supposed to be focusing on uni work, i had to ultimately delete facebook off my phone, SO long story short theres been alot of....activity.... on facebook today, that i wasnt particularly following as closely as many of you. this is obviously down to the fact FB is no longer on my phone. which means i had a fun read tonight when i finally got online.
Woah alot of opinions out there.
This morning while i was getting assignment supplies i noticed many posters missing i asked several of the shop owners and they all had very similar stories of students coming in and ripping them down or taking a good old black marker/pen to them and wrecking them. I then spoke to friends about this who pointed out other posters around campus that this had happened too. this has happened a few times over the week but i chose to ignore it. however today i had just had enough and decided to let you all know you should wise up a bit. c'mon act your age a bit. you all know better than to just wreck someones stuff out of pettiness.
So i gave yous all a shout out this morning, asking yous to please stop wrecking the election posters. this was of course misinterpreted as me saying it was the other candidate, in no way am i saying that, im saying stop wrecking both of our election work. After all, we are looking to help you next year, not twirl in an office chair for 11months, contrary to popular opinion.
I explained this to Mickey, he agrees, you're all jumping to conclusions a wee bit.
But i suppose tensions are getting high as its getting closer and closer until polls open, and i for one will be very glad when they close, i will finally get some uninterrupted alone time with sleep.
And as a wee note, just because i dont respond to something doesnt mean i dont have an opinion on whether i agree or disagree or think you are way out of line, its down to manners and not starting a fight over a public space.
Now i am a very enthusiastic person when it comes to something im truly passionate about, so i suppose i have come across as quite loud this week to many of you, but i hope you all know, whichever candidate gets chosen, will be the right choice. Im not a fan though, of people saying on both private messages and to my face that im not suitable for the job?
Well allow me to list a few reasons im not totally unsuitable.
I am one of the eldest of 9 children, so i know how to handle chaos, and speak to alot of people wanting different things all at once.
I am also from a single parent family (like most of the student body) i know rightly times are tough on everyone, university is expensive enough, theres no need for the rent in the villages to keep going up, or tuition fees to get higher and higher and the quality of the education and the accommodation to stay consistent.
Ive studied and worked for several years as an engineer before i came to university, i know what i want in life, so im going for it, thus my return to education, im not doing it for the craic of it. This also means i know what employers want, and to be brutally honest, they dont want to know you have an expensive piece of paper and have drank for 3-4 years, i want to give you all that extra bit of flare so when you leave university, you wont have that common problem of actually finding a job.
Me and two other newbie officers completely set up RAG week bar one event. we planned it, we worked it (along with amazing volunteers), and we seen it all through and thanks to all you guys and your generosity, we made it a complete success. So i know you want more events and fun about campus to break up the dreary day/week/year
Ive been involved in the union, and i know how hard it is to get about it, or understand what it does.
To be very honest in my first year i wasnt aware of anything that happened in the uni, i felt like i had no say, i failed a class due to a lecturers mistake, and i had to resit it in the summer, costing me fifty pounds, simply because i thought i couldnt complain. So many of us are left in the dark on our rights, the support available and what is happening around us in our own school. This is why i want everyone to have their voice heard, i want to be there, if you dont know who to go to, ill point you in the right direction, if they still arent helping, ill sort it, if you have even the slightest interest in doing something, i want to make sure you have the chance to do it.
Magee is such an underrated school, we are so the forgotten about step child of the university of ulster, and i want to change that, i want to change our image and how people see us. we are just as good as anybody else and definitely shouldnt be underestimated!
This is why even if you dont thin it has much to do ith you, even though you think your opinion or vote doesnt matter, this is why i implore each and every one of you to get up, get out there on monday- tuesday and get your say in how our uni is run. The problems are now!
Now o you want promises that will maybe happen five years down the line when youre gone? what do you find important to you as a student! do you want help now or do you just want to get this life stage over and done with. We can make Magee so much more than it is, but not by just sitting about and doing nothing.
Its time to act now. not maybe later, or you think both candidates are bringing the same thing to the table.... no we wont. we are very different people, but both are hoping to improve the campus.
Its time to ask yourselves are you happy... is there actually nothing youd change about Magee right now?
Ignore the snide politics, or the gossip or even what everyone else is trying to tell you what t think.... be that intelligent person you know you are, and do what you think is right.
Next year i will be either in a tiny VP office making your experience worth while or ill be making my own experience worth while in America or Europe (undecided on my placement just yet) So to be very honest, i dont mind which you choose. its your vote, your say, and every voice/vote/student matters!
I would love to give you all the opportunity to do what ever you want. but i cant do that without the vote. so ill leave it up to yourselves. read the manifestos, think about the person and if you think theyll actually help or just look good on a poster. Think what you want and then vote, dont go bragging youre voting or who (as that just starts gossip/miscommunication like what happened today) just do your thing and be your own person regardless of what others want or think.
Sorry i rambled so much tonight, tomorrow i promise to keep it short and sweet and just tell you what i actually did and not what i think.
As usual, FB me, follow me, email me, if youve any opinions id love to hear them.
https://www.facebook.com/claire.donnelly.775
donnellyc65-@email.ulster.ac.uk
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