Why joining a committee was a great decision
by Romy Boer
We’ve probably all heard it several times: students in this day and age have it all! And are just spoiled and lazy, back in the days we really had to work hard, people used to have character, blah blah blah… But if this is true, how come we keep seeing burnout percentages among students rising? Why do students experience so much pressure?
I too, was one of those students that felt the pressure; working 30 hours a week, and be a full-time student, and try to get a workout in here and there, and have a social life… and… and… the list goes on and on. Sounds familiar? I bet it does!
Why do we do this? Because it is all expected from us. We have to study because otherwise, we do not appreciate the options we are given. We have to work because without work experience you will not be able to enter the workforce easily. We have to be social because we live in a society where networking is key.
But what does this have to do with the title of this blog? What does summing up this pressure has to do with adding another one? Well, because it isn’t adding another one! Joining a committee is the smart way to combine all of the above, and I wish I had known this sooner!
Why? Because when you join a committee, you get a ton of work experience whilst your study progress being respected as being the main priority, you meet amazing like-minded people that are a great asset to your network, and as a bonus, you get to experience if the field of your choice is actually something you enjoy working in!
Here at the MAA, for instance, you can choose to join the Amsterdam Marketing Event, or Amsterdam Recruitment Event, to explore your interest and skills in the event management sector. Or, you can join the Media & Branding committee, to explore your copywriter/visual talent! Or perhaps, you can take it up a notch and apply for a board year!
While developing these much needed professional skills, and exploring where your real interest lay, you get the opportunity to meet like-minded students at the MAA events and monthly drinks! Occasionally, MAA members even find their next employer at these events!
Looking back at my experience as part of the Media & Branding team, I would highly recommend everyone to join a committee during their student phase! I was able to work on important professional skills at a variety of events, practise these skills as a copywriter within our committee, and expand my network with some amazing and talented like-minded students. And to come back to those burnout percentages; I was able to relieve a lot of student life stress, by just simply talking to each other about our experiences during the monthly drinks!
Are you interested in which committees the MAA has to offer, and what makes them all unique? Find out here!
