My AIESEC Experience and how it molded me
I am glad to have lived an almost 360 degree AIESEC experience which included CEED, Exchange, various leadership roles from OCP recruitments to VP CIM to LCP. I have seen failure and achievements at an equal scale in the organization and had the opportunity to follow and lead wonderful people. Some of my most favorite moments in AIESEC have been of Exchange experiences and interacting with interns from more than 20 countries. I found a finnish sister, made some life long friends in various countries.
However my most triumphant moments have been of representing IIT KGP at National and international level through AIESEC and making my LC proud by winning the very first awards and trophies at national level. I can never forget the adrenaline rush it gave me when we were appreciated so openly even though we were just an expansion.
I was privileged to be elected by the LC to lead it in its very first year as an independent local committee. That was the toughest and most challenging experience I had till now which had a huge impact on my life and my career. An experience which tested me, challenged me at every point and rewarded me with some wonderful companions for the long run in life.
I joined AIESEC because I wanted to dance and meet foreign people. And I did both in abundance and more. Doing tempo shout of KGP in every national conference was a proud moment for me, winning best Jive in NSC 2010 was another happy experience. Skooling for the LC and watching the MCP elections year after year 3 times consecutively has inspired me the most.
I won’t say AIESEC was all happiness but it was a sort of pride and excitement. Joy and sadness came in big packets and I didn’t have all I asked for but then I had more than what I asked for.
The organization has been about moments for me, small, simple, awesome, nervous, hectic, tired, over joyous, winning, motivating moments for me.
I can’t sum everything up here about what AIESEC means to me and how deep it goes in my heart. I found my first love through AIESEC, won first award in KGP through AIESEC, took first leadership role in life, spoke first time on stage through AIESEC and lots more.
I have been happy to have experienced both extreme love and hatred, joy and pain, success and failure in the LC and that is what makes my experience so rich. The journey had all colors and the picture is so beautifully painted in my mind that it is one master piece of my life.
AIESEC allowed me to make some of the most toughest decisions in my life, made me realize my core values and how to be true to myself. The opportunity to learn from people around me be it junior, senior, other LC people. Everyone and everything in AIESEC had something or the other to contribute to me.
AIESEC taught me to pursue my passions with 100% efforts which was the reason I even applied to US MC for MC VP position after my LCP term. I didn’t get selected but I was happy that I tried something which I wanted to do. I was happy that I did everything which was on offer for me in AIESEC in my 3.5 years of experience and am proud of each action and decision taken during those times.
I also feel proud to have recruited and closely worked with so many wonderful individuals in my teams who went on to become great leaders and contributors in the LC and outside of it.
The joy of being able to give back to the society be it through the smiles on children’s faces during a mega BKK or to our own students in Y2B, is unmatched by anything else. A chance to understand the workings and efforts of NGO’s in and around KGP and deliver conferences and events which make a life changing impact on people’s life is a truly cherish-able experience.
And yes the people, the ones who stuck through and some of the most wonderful gems of my life. There is nothing better than having a chance to change someone’s life for good. And AIESEC gave me a wonderful opportunity to do it for a few people. That is the most satisfying feeling of all.
AIESEC learnings have helped me in my current work experience where I have been a confident, eager and positive contributor to my team’s activities. The experience has also enabled me to pursue my boyhood dream of doing research which I will be doing in Information Sciences [IM in AIESEC lingo] from coming August. I was fascinated by this field of study after my VP CIM role in AIESEC and am still learning more and more about it.
I am still an AIESECer, a proud one and I still jive regularly. Infact you can see our jive recordings on youtube and enjoy 🙂
And above all AIESEC taught me to LIVE LIFE LIKE A JIVE.
AIESEC -> Journey, Music, Moments.
My Feedback to the LC:
AIESEC IIT KGP has huge potential but then the blunt truth which I have seen for years is that we are just too complacent and complaining to work to the best of our potential in AIESEC. 10 – 20 % people do more than 80 % work of the LC, show tempo and are active in the AIESEC national and global community.
If we want to excel in this organization we have to remember that an AIESEC XP is like a bank account. You will only get interest on what all you put into this organization. The organization has a lot to offer both in terms of experience, fun and network. Unfortunately, year after year I have seen people putting their excuses before their hard work in the organization. The very fact that this organization is nascent and new means you all have the opportunity to make it something wonderful. That itself is the biggest opportunity AIESEC IIT KGP gives you.
Learn to believe in the core idea of AIESEC exchange, its not about running after numbers but about giving maximum life changing experiences and making sure we are growing and making full use of our capacity.
And on the final note, AIESEC is emotional, no doubt about it, for many people are everything AIESEC is for them. But I suggest you all to learn to love the organization first. The values of the organization globally have brought it this far, emotions come and are human but at no point should emotions drive you to make decisions which harm the organization. Weather you are a leader in the organization or a member, remember you are responsible for this organization and people will look at this organization through you. The kind of example you set will be carried forward by your admirers and person you become will define what AIESEC has contributed to you. So choose wisely your actions and intent. Remember AIESEC XP is like the rules of open spaces “It starts when it starts” and “it ends when it ends”. What you do in that period is the best this that should be done.
As a closing note, I have been saying this since my AGM speech and I will say it again, bring home the trophy from Natcong Awards Night =)
All the best and be the best =)
SmexyyWeby 