Thursday, April 22, 2010

Living the AIESEC Experience...



"Have you ever wondered what marks our time here? If one life can really make an impact on the world? Or if the choices we make matter? I believe they do. And I believe that one man can change many lives... for better or worse" -Lucas Scott.


AIESEC is a reflection of life and society” and it is not the opposite as several would like to believe.

If you had a chance to be born again, and correct all the mistakes you made wouldn't you do It?

AIESEC is one such chance where you can see yourself grow over the years, learn immensely and make the biggest mistakes and still get right back up.

There are very few opportunities that one can avail; to be born again and live life all over again.

AIESEC was my opportunity to be born again, to grow up, mature and pass away.


I have read most of the previous experiences of several AIESECers, and I can assure you that I had all the very same experiences, just different learnings.

The AIESEC Experience is a cycle made up of different phases. Here's a a sneak peek of my AIESEC Experience in its true sense:



First, "Introduction to AIESEC": I was just another member like the other 100 recruited in the year 2007. I was happy to meet people and network in this new city I was thrown into. And unlike other students of my age I thought I was cool since AIESEC gave me an opportunity to walk into the offices of Multinational Companies in the city.



Then came; "Taking Responsibility": The year 2008 was probably the steepest learning curve in my life with two very intense learning experiences in the form of being on an Organising Committee for Recruitments, and Organising Committee President of Balakalakaar.

Being on an OC meant me shedding all inhibitions and walking up to people and telling them to buy something from me for a sum of money. Surprisingly, this was one of the toughest things for me to do.


Just the thought of me being 18 years old and managing an event for 5000 under-privileged children, raising funds of close to 4 lacs, managing a team of 5 individuals (all elder to me and an International from new Zealand ) involving heavy advertising and media still scares me. And this was being the Project head of Balakalakaar 2008, which was a huge success.


"Leadership Role:" AIESEC is known for the leaders it produces. This role is very vague, as an AIESECer can assume the position of leadership 3 months into this organization and if you happen to spend 6 years in AIESEC it's very likely your still are going to be in this stage of learning.



Fortunately or Unfortunately I was able to live only the two smallest Leadership positions being the OCP of Balakalakaar I spoke about and being Vice-President of the Corporate Sector.

In the year 2007 I was a delegate at the National Leadership Development Seminar as a new recruit and in the year 2009 I was there at the same conference Facilitating it now!!


The last phase of the AIESEC Experience is "Heading for the Future:" This is the part where you are harshly thrown back to the actually journey called LIFE. I haven’t done too much of it so I cannot write about it :)


I would like to Thank AIESEC for teaching me so much and most of all thank you to the people who taught me so much. It is a beautiful platform and I will forever remain grateful to it for giving me some of the best years of my life.





When I started putting pen to paper to give the readers a new angle about my AIESEC Experiences, I realized that my thoughts should just stick with me, because some things just can’t be explained in words or even pictures. I can’t put down what I learnt in close to 3 years in 3 pages and expect someone to read it and be inspired. Somethings just need to be learnt by experience. So if your in college or getting there.

JOIN AIESEC.


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