Campaign Tips:
Take your time to find what works best for you
I think it’s easy for candidates to jump into the elections process feeling like they need to have all their strategies mapped out (I definitely thought so). Even after you plan the general gist of your campaign, anything can change once you arrive on campus. Unexpected changes affect everyone, so don’t feel so stressed if you end up having to be more flexible with your original plan. For example, if you and your campaign groupie realize that your original plan to cover as much ground as possible everyday is infeasible due to the large campus size, you can split it up each day. One day, you can campaign at sports events and another day at colloquia sessions.
Campaign smarter not harder
I didn’t take this advice and therefore struggled. Try to be more efficient and be aware of how representative your “sample” that you campaign to is of the whole NJCL. It would be a shame to campaign to a hundred different people only to realize they were all from the same state! Also, although it’s smart to campaign to people like voting delegates or state officers, don’t overlook other JCLers. It can come across as especially more genuine if you are sincerely trying to converse with people you may be serving in the future.
Your campaign team doesn’t have to be big just efficient
My campaign team was a group of my friends who knew my platform and campaign strategies very well. They were extremely helpful during the election process. While you may feel better having more people on your campaign team, it may of no use if they can’t hold effective conversations with other people about you and your platform. In fact, some JCLers may intentionally not approach you but other members from your state
Advice for Prospective Officers:
Don’t be afraid to ask your predecessors for advice
Jade Woods, the previous NJCL Editor, was extremely helpful to me when I first came into this position. She gave me useful insight and advice about being a national officer that I continue to use today. Your predecessors are people who are just as passionate about the JCL as you are, so it can never hurt to reach out to them if you’re struggling.
The most important thing to know as a prospective candidate for your office:
I think the most important skill an editor can have is to be able to connect with other people. After all, the publication is a representation of not the editor but everyone in the organization. In order to represent the organization, you need to know what the people in the organization are like. That’s what makes connecting with other students so important to the role of the editor.
Advice for the Office of Editor
12
Anika Park / 2018 - 2019 / NJCL Editor