There are about twenty new students who have come in for the foundation program for this April intake. Just two days shy of their orientation week, I was told to handle the orientation program together with my other friends who were given respective posts.
With such a short amount of time on our hands, I had a short meeting with them Thursday evening to come up with some ideas on what we could do and by the very next day I chose four team leaders and delegated all the work that had to be done. I chose the team leaders based on their given ideas and also because some actually volunteered, which made things much easier.
On Friday for our next meeting I came up with the outline of the week long program and together with our secretary and co-director, we got the proposal done and handed it in to management.
The first few days of the program basically involved icebreakers and Q&A sessions. Slowly once the students were a little more comfortable with their new environment, we told them about what we had planned for Friday since it would be their last day of orientation.
Instead of the usual drama/sketch that we're always asked to perform, my team and I decided to have them come up with mini musicals. So that meant more music, singing and dancing compared to just acting.
Now Friday was the last day of class for us seniors before we had to leave for our study break. A lot of my friends had buses to catch that evening so I wanted to finish off the activity for that day as fast as possible without holding anyone up.
The day before the finale, I gave out formal invitations to the judges (who were all part of management) in the hope that they wouldn't forget the time or venue of the day's program.
By eleven Friday morning my friends and I gathered at the Student Resource Centre, where the program was to be held, and got everything set up. We just had to rearrange the chairs, tables and clear the stage area for the students. Half an hour later everything was ready. The PA system was also set up and we tested it out. Everything was set to go. I even had time to go out and get some refreshments for the judges.
Friday morning, just before setting things up, I was called into the office and given the suggestion to carry out our activity at the lobby. To be quite honest I was rather surprised with the suggestion.
If you scroll down, the third picture below is the university lobby. The first two pictures are of the student resource centre. Everything we needed for the event was at the student resource. Chairs, tables, plug points. Plus it was an enclosed area with air-conditioning.
The lobby, however, had none of these commodities. We would have to carry more than thirty chairs outside, carry tables, get extension wires because there aren't any plug points and get stand fans because of the heat. Their logic to have the program at the lobby was just beyond me.
I thanked management for their 'suggestion' but firmly stood ground and said we'd be carrying everything out at the student resource.
Student Resource Centre
University Lobby
We started everything off at two thirty. Our MC did a brilliant job. By three forty five we were actually done. Much earlier than I'd planned we'd finish.
As the MC says his thank you's and wraps up the event, one of the judges suddenly comes up on stage, grabs the mic and says the juniors now have permission to rag the seniors.
I literally went What The Eff because that was not in our plan, agenda, neither was the idea brought up to me by the person who came up with it.
The student council president, who was not in charge of this event in any way whatsoever, went up to the judges during the performances and told them about this without consulting me.
I was furious.
He initially told one of my friends about this and when my friend told me this I said no, we wouldn't be carrying it out. As it is we were fighting against time so that those who had to go back could leave immediately. Because I said no, this smart ass told the judges, who decided to take matters into their own hands.
It may seem like such a trivial matter to most of you. The fact that the student council president just wanted to have some fun with the juniors and seniors.
But no.
Whatever it is he planned to do, he should have discussed it with me first. He may be the Queen of bloody England but I was the organizer of the event. The least he could do was talk to me about it before suddenly blowing it up in my face.
How would you feel if you had spent so much time organizing something that went absolutely perfect, only to have it end in such a way?
I marched right up to him once everything was over and calmly gave him a piece of my mind. He had no right to interfere with something I had planned.
Honestly.
Some people need to know when to keep their butts out of other peoples business!
P/S: A huge shout out to my friends for being a wonderful team. Without all of you, this event wouldn't have been possible. Much appreciation to you guys <3.
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