Archana Tanwar is a Bsc(H) Zoology student of Daulatram College, Delhi University who has been continuously involved in beyond the classroom activities.
Here, Archana is sharing her experience being the President of Dhara- the environment society of Daulat Ram College. Her hard work has the potential to propel her ahead of the curve.
Go ahead and know what her story has to offer so that you can easily find a path of self-growth.
What was your role? Briefly list the responsibilities associated with it.
I am the President of the Eco Club (session 2020-2021) and also the Former Secretary of the eco-club (session 2019-2020).
I am responsible for the overall functioning of the club, taking step towards environmental well being, motivating people to take part in environmental initiatives and organising various intercollegiate and Intra college events and of course their management.
What’s it like to juggle between leadership roles and academics? Pen down the challenges you faced.
Sometimes it is hectic to be part of society when you have assignments pending and exams coming but most of the times it’s fun.
For me for example I used to have classes from 8:30 in the morning till 4:30 in the evening most of the times. Plus I was also enrolled in an add-on certificate course. I sometimes struggled to complete assignments on time but thanks to my friends who were my strength.
But to be honest working with the team was fun. I always felt excited about what we are going to do next.
We would spend hours discussing various ideas and their implementation. With each successful event, our confidence was boosted and we were motivated to do better next time.
Did you also get a chance to connect with any other activity while working on this post?
Yes, there were a lot of activities which gave us a chance to connect to the other colleges as an individual and as a team. Also, while working with the team I got the chance to attend several national legal conferences and we organised one in our club as well.
What are the top learnings, skills and values that you acquired here?
Teamwork, dedication, poster making skills, and how to work patiently with a team are some of the skills that this position has taught me in just a few months of getting promoted.
When I joined the club I was not so confident but I was always interested in making change. I really wanted to do something for the environment and so I joined the club.
Do you feel your current role fills you with pride and gratitude? Illustrate how the experience gained will help you going forward?
Yes, of course, as I said when I look back at myself before and after joining the club I see two completely different individuals. I was a shy, introverted girl but now I feel much more confident and responsible.
Earlier meeting new people and interacting with them was not something I appreciated much but now when I make good connections I feel like I have accomplished something.
So yes, I am really grateful for the post. It fills me with pride and I am so grateful to be part of an amazing team, grateful for the skills I have learnt and also grateful for them every experience.
As when we talk about leadership we have a whole team with us. How do you persuade others to accept your ideas/ways?
Well, here in Dhara, we don’t persuade people. We discuss our ideas and then go with the majority’s decision. We also circulate feedback form to take suggestions from the audience so that we can improve the overall functioning of the club. We make sure everyone feels heard and inclusive.
So that’s how we decide in the eco-club. Because when people give ideas and suggestions, it makes them feel inclusive and acknowledge.
What is your message to students, aspiring the same or a similar role to do?
Just keep trying and Don’t let failures break your heart.
I remember looking up to those people in different societies, who looked confident and had strong personalities and always being inspired and motivated by them to take responsibilities like they use to. And now, finally, I achieved it. So yes, if you are planning something, you definitely should go for it.
How can we (Friends, Family, YI Fraternity) encourage young students such as yourself to engage with co-curricular or extra-curricular activities?
By telling them how extra-curricular activities have become important in today’s leading world and how we gain important life skills by taking part in extracurricular activities. Getting involved in beyond classroom activities help us to develop a lot of technical and soft skills by working in teams. Also, we learn to interact better and present ourselves better.
Also, you should tell them never to question their self-worth. Everyone should be knowing that “Failures are part of life and to be successful, we must fail”. So try to fail forward always.
We at Young Influx would take this opportunity to thank Archana for taking a leap of faith and sharing his impeccable story. We are humbled and grateful, your efforts mean a lot for the youth seeking growth and development.
And hello, dear readers, we welcome you to explore the platform with an open mind. Help yourself gain the most out of the experiences and opportunities listed here.
And before you bid us adieu, we would like you to know that you can read more such student stories here.
