Why you should get involved with the YUSU Elections

It’s that time of year again. Since yesterday, hoards of fresh-faced students have been approaching you as you rush late to a seminar with the polite insistence of a Jehovah’s Witness to inquire as to who you’ll be voting for in the upcoming YUSU Elections; cardboard costumes and posters litter the campus walls, and you might hear impassioned discussions in the queue at Costcutter over the motivations of so-and-so, or the track record of someone else. And yet most students won’t be voting, have any idea of the positions being run for or be aware of the importance of YUSU in general.

I think this is particularly sad, because it’s a well-known fact that political engagement and enthusiasm peaks at university. After that, the drudgery and realism of adult life slowly eats away at that once-cherished flame of idealism. So while you aggressively avoid eye contact and wave them away en route to the Courtyard, spare a thought for what it is they’re actually trying to achieve.

Student politics are a way of engaging a huge community of disparate students, of allowing each and every member of the university to feel equally valued, and have a way to have their voice heard. You might not be keen to the extent of running for a position for yourself, but those who are willing to dedicate a massive amount of time to make our lives even marginally more convenient deserve more respect from us than they get. It takes a matter of moments to listen to someone explain why and how they can help you, and just a few minutes to log on and vote. Who knows, you might effect some change, you might make a difference, you might even start to give a shit. And don’t forget, the option to ‘RON’, or ‘re-open nominations’, is always there. The uncontested roles are not necessarily definite, use your judgement.