Treating people with your heart-

Lying on the bed, recounting my life as a councilor, I had a sudden epiphany I had to record. I recounted the campaigning periods the year before and just recently this year. I am ProEd Councilor and every year, the student body will cast vote for their favorite councilors and shortlisted councilors will remain in the council, while the rest shall drop out. I realized that I had always been desperate in my measures to the extent of using emotional blackmail to garner support for the elections. It was similar to last-minute hugging the buddha's foot, in this case, it was hugging the students' foot.

Why was that so? It then dawn upon me that I had been mistreating my friends, calling them names they dislike, and frequent teasing. I had not been helpful in many occasions, dismissing their request with a wave of my hand. Overall, I had not been a helpful friend.

Now, just 1 month before elections, I started treating people better, helping them occasionally, no longer my usual rowdy self. However, my change in behavior was not able to reach all the friends I had mistreated, and for those people, they were not willing to cast me their votes due to past taunting, they felt that someone who was not sensitive enough should not be in council. However, for my classmates who were able to sense my change in behavior, they themselves reciprocated by treating me better. They no longer call me names nor tease me too. This is when I realised that it is important as a human being, you treat people with your heart and never let your overwhelming ego hurt others. So, that was what adults always meant, to live in a better society, with everyone caring and helping each other.

Back to my campaigning process, as I went along convincing classmates why they should vote for me, they reflected that they have certain choices in mind and I will come after that. And more often than not, these choices always corresponds. I was indignant, these people did not had a better MSG than I do , nor were these people as outspoken as I was. As I sat on a chair, staring into blank space, wondering why some people who does not seem too capable are a popular choice. Shortly, my friend joined me and I poured out my woes.

He replied, "Lionell, you want to know why? Because they are not bastards like you. "

This statement angered me quite a bit, I was not able to restrain myself and I insulted him by calling him a 'dog' accompanied by various profanities and a slap on his back.

"See, this is what I meant, bastard..." and he went off. I immediately regretted my action as it had cost me to lose a vote, but above that, I probably had lost a friend. I realised that these frequent actions of mine has damaged relations with my friends. For a moment, I thought I was not able to make it to council, but most importantly of all, I had wasted my year, mistreating friends, not valuing friendship.

When I got home, I was saddened by the fact that I had minimal support for the elections.

I googled, " What does people look for in a leader?" and hoped to come out with a miraculous campaigning method. The page was filled with a few questions, a supposed checklist for leaders-to-be. Mentally, I asked myself the questions. (Paraphrased it)

1. Do I have what it takes for ProEdians to look up to?

No. Even my friends call me a 'bastard'.

2. Am I able to command the respect of my friends?

No. Same answer as 1.

3. Am I exceptionally superb in leading?

No. If you are superb, people won't call you a 'bastard'.

4. Had I been helpful to my friends?

I wouldn't be so desperate now.

5. Are you extremely capable in a certain field of studies?

My MSG is better than the average, but hey, I guess that is not something to be proud of as my class has more than a handful of people doing much better than how I am doing and they are not interested in council.

Seemed to be all crosses for my checklist.

I scrolled down to read more.

5- Great, way to go! You have the attributes of what people look in leaders!

4- Well done, focus on the aspect you are weakest in, you are prepared to lead.

3- Acceptable, but you are not ready to lead yet, studies, charisma, whatever it is, work on it!

1-2 : You are too hasty to be a leader, reflect on how you can even be a better person before coming back.

0: You are too hasty to lead. Work on your basic character, a few years later, you will definitely be prepared.

I was prepared to drop out, however, I remained in council.

It was by luck I entered as a good friend of mine helped me to propagate within the consortium.

This had taught me a lesson, to treat people well with your heart, not for votes. Naturally, they shall reciprocate and only then, are you a worthy Hwa Chong student.

From now on, I shall work on my attitude towards friends and work to be a better person before I even look at leading.

Tomorrow is the ExCo interviews, I wonder how I am going to fare after all these negative reflections. D: