"An Attempt to Prevent Complacency" by Delia M

Nausea. Sweaty palms. Bags under my eyes that to this day have not gone away. And suddenly, the long monotonous sound of an alarm. The results were in.

I sat outside of the gym with my equally nervous ASB family, attempting some last minute bargaining with some higher omniscient power, promising to become a better person or something in exchange for my position. As if that had ever worked out for me.

And so the process began, as an unnaturally high spirited voice announced the new class officers for 2013 – 2014.

Adrenaline rush. Shock. And then the deflation as I realized my name wasn’t called. I tried to suppress the tears that insisted to materialize. My friends surrounded me to offer their condolences, reassuring me that everything would be okay. And for the most part everything was okay. For the most part.

Running a high school campaign, as trivial as it sounds, and admittedly, is in relation to the grand scheme of things, is one of the most grueling processes I have ever undertaken. I mean realistically, campaigning starts months before an actual election week. I had to spread the word verbally on a weekly basis well before sign-ups for positions even arrived, and believe me, it was incredibly apparent that my peers had virtually no interest in what I had to say. I could actually see their annoyance grow with me as I talked about my upcoming election nonstop, but it was almost impossible for me to stop talking about the one thing that was constantly running through my mind. Anything to get the word out right?

Then came the actual planning of my campaign. Things I was forced to consider include but are not limited to resources, including money, artistic ability, and availability of time, slogans, pop culture references, and of course, differentiation amongst my competitors. All of my ideas were confined to ten posters, one giant banner, six shirts, and unlimited amounts of flyers, pins and ads on social media.

Finally, I went through the actual campaign week which consisted of early morning set up, incessant paranoia, and begging strangers to vote for me. The begging was the absolute worst aspect of this process because people never failed to ask me the one question I wished they wouldn’t. “What are some reasons for why you deserve this position?” How do I even begin to answer that question? Honestly, I don’t. Frankly, I don’t think I deserve anything, I mean really, what makes me so entitled to anything on this earth? But of course I couldn’t say that, so instead I talked about how dedicated and hardworking and awesome I am, and how I promised to improve school events for the upcoming school year. As if it were that simple. As if they actually cared and would actually make the effort to wait in a line to circle my name.

I did everything I was supposed to do, and despite my efforts, I managed to lose my election.

Fast forward to the 2014 – 2015 school elections. The experience remained identical, except this time I actually became a president. ASB president. A middle school dream achieved. How cool.

No, not really. It has its perks, but overall, my year has consisted of dealing with some of the most opinionated and incompetent people I’ve ever met in my entire life. I’ve come to realize that everyone has an agenda, and will try to manipulate you in whatever way is most convenient for them. I’ve had to endure a year in which people blame me for the disappointing school events I said I would improve, when realistically I have absolutely zero influence over how things are actually done at school. But I’ve learned that people aren’t interested in the truth, so I’ve found myself apologizing for decisions that neither ASB students nor I made, simply because it is easier than trying to explain the politics of the education system.

For the longest time, I was under the impression that I wanted to be ASB president. Now, if I had to attend high school for another year, I’m not sure if I would even join the program, much less be president.

And so you see, sometimes what we think we want is actually what ends up hurting us the most. I’ve lost so much of the hope and positivity that existed in my life before I became president. We spend so much time and energy trying to convince ourselves that we’re happier than we really are, and end up being complacent when it comes to the quality of our lives. I encourage everyone to find something that they are passionate about, and to let that passion lead their lives. However, I also urge people to recognize when they exist in less than ideal situations, and to do everything in their power to fix them or remove themselves from them. But that’s just my opinion.