Blog Post 5: Bravery Narrative

With the end of the school year coming to a close, many student organizations on campus are beginning to transition its officers and members for next year. For the past two years, I have apart of the student organization on campus called Colleges Against Cancer. The goal of our club is to plan and hold an annual event called Relay For Life on the UC Davis campus in which all profits go directly towards the American Cancer Society. This school year, I served as one of three officers on the Executive Board. One Executive Board officer will be graduating this Spring, and the other officer who is also the President has decided that she will step down from her position next year. For the past few months, I have been conflicted with what leadership role I envision myself holding in this club next year, but more specifically questioning my capabilities of serving as a Club President.

The rising action of my narrative are the reasons behind my insecurities and doubts about accepting the position, many of which are internal battles. Thus, I consider the protagonist to be myself and the antagonist to be my own mentality. I am afraid that it will be difficult for me to bring success to the club. Under our current President’s term this year, Colleges Against Cancer was recognized by hospitals, newspapers, and received two awards for our efforts. These were all notable recognition to receive in just one year, and I feel the pressure more than ever to continue this momentum into the upcoming year. A second major battle I’m facing is my fear of the workload. Because I will be a fourth-year student next year, I am focusing on finishing strong academically, applying to nursing school, and cherishing my last year as an undergraduate. Serving on the Executive Board this year taught me that the workload hours as an officer is 4-5 hours a week, and the Club President position would translate into many more hours.

The turning point of my narrative occurs when I decided to take a step back and consider the bigger picture. My insecurities were rooted within me, and I had to seek the input of my fellow officers and general club members. After receiving the reassurance I needed, I came back to recollect with myself once more. I reminded myself of the reason why I joined this club in the first place. My passion for the club’s mission, my desire to honor those affected by this disease, and our efforts to raise money for the American Cancer Society triumphs a lot of my doubts. Therefore, I decided that I am going to remain on the Executive Board and serve as next year’s President. I know that I will not be alone in this entire process, and my confidence grows more and more in my capabilities. I consider my resolution to be me currently in the process of holding interviews for open positions on the Board and for general club members. The overarching theme of my narrative is that fear and anxiety is both inevitable and acceptable, but it should not triumph your decision to assert bravery.