Going on a campaign tour(campus)

This week, I stepped into unfamiliar territory: election campaigning. Not for myself, but for a friend “Governor”, who’s running for President of CANSSAG-UCC. I tagged along largely out of curiosity. Student politics and campaigning typically aren’t my thing, but I’ve been trying to expose myself to new experiences. Especially ones that push me slightly to the edge. We visited various lecture halls, walking the talk, sharing his vision, and engaging with students. Everyone(in CANS) either knew him or was at least aware of him. And he, in turn, seemed to know just about everyone. I don’t really have much to say about this experience, but it re-echoed and confirmed certain facts common to most people.

It’s one of the quickest way to build and grow your network.

Not all engagements went smoothly. Some students’ body language made it obvious they weren’t convinced; others listened with curiosity or enthusiasm; a few dismissed us outright. I expected mixed responses and respected people’s reactions.

As for me, I stood by quietly most of the time. I didn’t say much, partly because I didn’t know what to say, and partly because I was still figuring out how campaign persuasion even works. But I wasn’t idle. I observed carefully: how he spoke, how people reacted, where interest rose and where it dropped. I watched faces for cues i.e. boredom, skepticism, curiosity, amusement etc and I saw plenty.

I shared my honest feedback with Governor afterward. As to how to shorten and make the message precise, because long talks were becoming boring to people. I’m glad I did. He received it well.

If nothing else, this campaign trail re-emphasized a few key truths:

I’ve gotten ideas as to how to go about the campaign. I’ll test them on the next tour and report back on what works.

· new