Student Life Flourishes Before The Break

Maybe flourishes isn't the best word to use but it's definitely alive and active. Since the start of the year the number of well attended events on campus has been astonishing, and in the past 2 weeks just as impressive. To put things in perspective here is a list of some of the events that the DSU has been host or co-host to since September 1st

1. Big Ticket Concert - Wintersleep
2. Big Ticket Concert - Ill Scarlette (Free)
   
3. Big Ticket Concert - Bedouin Soundclash
4. Big Ticket Concert - Joel Plaskett (Free)
5. First Class Bash
6. Society Fair
   
7. Oktoberfest BBQ and Games
   
8. Hockey Home Opening Celebration
9. Dal-O-Ween
10. Public Federal Election Debate
11. Federal Election Results Party
    
12. SUB's 40th Birthday Celebration
13. Tony Lee Hypnotist Show

Now yes some of these happen every year, and may spark the question of why should we receive praise or recognition for something that always happens for something that's "part of a job". Well first of all when things are done well and when people enjoy themselves, learn something, are helped or are simply made to smile because of someone else, that someone else deserves a thank you. So let me be the first to say thank you to everyone who has helped me since I took office in May. I would not have been able to even begin to approach the level of success I have had without everyone on my committees, in and around the office, my friends and of course support from the general student body. Every time an event is a success it makes me happy, I'm able to smile and enjoy myself (at least eventually) and I feel like I've helped someone. And I wouldn't have that feeling if it weren't for the people who have helped me, so thank you again.

The second reason I chose to bring this up in my latest blog is I seriously doubt that a large portion of the student body has or had knowledge of a lot of these events. Yes we market them, yes we publicize these events ahead of time and do everything we can to get the word out, and yes our target audience is our students. Our funding for these events comes from student fees and it is my opinion that every student on campus should have the opportunity to at least be informed about said events and services offered by their student union. There are countless ways to get the word out to the campus community about how we are trying to give back to the students that gave us these jobs in the first place but above anything else, word of mouth is the most effective. So if you have been to an event, plan on going to one, or even if you aren't, tell someone about it. Tell them a few things the DSU has done this year, tell them what's coming up and feel free to tell us what types of things you'd like to see that we haven't done yet. Of all the organizations you will deal with in your entire life I guarantee the DSU is one of the few (if not the only one) that will listen to what you want and try and give it to you without looking at their own agenda first and what is best for them. Let me tell you one reason why that is so... what is best for the students we serve is what's best for us. And as I said before when I see a bar, concert venue, lecture hall, the quad, anything full of people that are happy because of the work I've done, I owe every person there a big thank you for making me smile.