Prelude, is one of my favourite words in the English language.  Defined as "an action or event serving as an introduction to something more important" (OED) it is the perfect way to describe the run up to elections in Students' Unions.  Often I've heard people call it 'the calm before the storm' or 'when it's still safe to walk down the mall without being bombarded with flyers'.

Students' Union elections did my head in my first year.  I most definitely didn't care, turned my volume up in my headphones and walked on by.  Somehow three years later on, having no doubt matured considerably I found myself as the Deputy Station Manager of Xtreme - our very own radio station - and unable to access the Union building at times of the day when people wanted to broadcast.  I went home night after night to my housemates ranting away, who turned round after about a week and said "DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT THEN".  

So I did, I dressed up as a Smurf, drank a horrdendous volume of energy drinks and spoke to what felt like half of the world.  Two years later, I couldn't be prouder to be the outgoing President.

Tomorrow at 5pm sees the close of this year's nominations for our 13 Part Time Officer Positions:

http://www.swansea-union.co.uk/elections/

If you're proud of our Students and want to represent them, or perhaps you're annoyed about something and want to change it, then I thoroughly encoruage you to run.

I'll leave you with these rather famous words, which I think speak volumes about the important of reading as a child (and perhaps as a nostalgic teen or adult).

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."  Dr. Seuss

Happy Monday, 

Tom.