Committee Q&A: Rachel Barwise

What committee are you part of and what roles have you held?

I’ve been on committee for The Nomadic Players Drama and Theatre Society for the past two years; I was Welfare Officer, and now Vice-President.

What made you want to run for a committee role?

I basically stumbled across becoming Welfare Officer at the end of my first year, and then loved it so much I decided to run for Vice-President. I felt like my skills matched up to what was ideal for both roles, and from speaking to others in the society, they motivated me to go for it. I loved my first year as a member, and I wanted to show my appreciation by actively working to push the society forward!

What has been the most enjoyable part of being on committee?

Making incredible friends with some incredible people who have the same interests as you.

Can you tell us about a time where your role was challenging?

Whilst being Welfare Officer, I went through a brief family emergency to which I felt I needed to temporarily step down for a week but the support network in the rest of committee was immense and they covered for me. This year as Vice Pres, it’s of course been challenging because we haven’t been able to put on what we wanted to and it’s been disheartening, but we’ve still stuck together to work through it. Committee team ethic is the best!

Do you feel that being on a committee has been beneficial in terms of preparing you for the future?

Definitely! It’s taught me essential skills to do with communication and time management - and it’s clearly worked because I’m the next Student Opportunities Officer

What piece of advice would you give to an incoming committee member?

Don’t panic! If you’re considering running for a committee position, do it! Support will be there for you and you will have the best time, pandemic or not! If you’re unsure, talk to a current committee member or someone on Opps Team. We’re all in this together.