The advantages of doing a board year
New connections and friendships
During a board year, you get to meet lots of new people: members of your association, former boards, fellow boards and, of course, your own board members. You’ll be working closely with your board all year long. By organising activities and events, having meetings and celebrating successes together, you will quickly form a strong bond. Therefore, during a board year, you will build close friendships but also expand your network - something that can be very useful later in your career!
Personal and professional development
A board year is also an amazing learning experience. You gain useful skills that will last you a lifetime. As treasurer, for example, you will learn all about financial administration, and as chairman, you will become an expert in networking and communicating with other associations and organisations. Besides, as a board member, you will learn to work together, organise activities, and make and execute plans – regardless of your position. A board year, therefore, looks good on your resume as well, although this should not be your only motivation to do one ;). Throughout the year, you will also learn a lot about yourself, including your strengths and weaknesses.
Making an impact
A board year also gives you the chance to make a difference. Whether you improve education, organise an unforgettable Kick-In or build a new solar car in a student team, you will contribute to the student life of fellow students or to innovations. This makes your role as a board member incredibly valuable!
Broaden your horizons
If you do a board year at your study association, you will get to know the administrative side of the university and your study programme, which you usually don’t experience as a student. For example, you will learn who important contacts are and how big decisions are made. This will give you useful insights that may even help you after your board year. For example, you might discover all kinds of useful university services that an ‘ordinary’ student might not know about.
Adventure
Doing a board year is a great adventure in which you experience many different things. Not only do you organise activities and events, but of course, you also get to join in on all of them. This allows you to experience fun and unique things, such as parties, (constitution) drinks, trips and much more. You will share many great moments with your board and make memories that will last a lifetime!
The disadvantages of doing a board year
Study delay
Let's be honest, a board year isn’t all fun and games. The most obvious disadvantage is that it can delay your studies. Of course, you’ll learn a lot during a board year, but at the end of the day, it usually does mean finishing your degree later. Depending on whether you do part-time or full-time board, this can be a delay of six months to a year. It is up to you to decide whether that’s a dealbreaker.
Time investment
Furthermore, a board year is a time investment: it can get really busy. Of course, the workload depends on the number of board members, the agreements you have made within your board and whether you do a full-time or part-time board. However, in general, the workload is comparable to that of your studies. Depending on this, you may have less time for sports, a side job or holidays. Luckily, you can usually work things out with your board, although you are not supposed to take too many weeks off ;). So, if your goal for your gap year is to fully relax and take a break, a board year might not be the best choice.
Responsibility
As a board member, you carry quite a big responsibility: you will be making important decisions for the entire association. This responsibility can take up a lot of energy. That’s why it is very important to know your own limits and speak up if things get too much, to avoid burning out.
Availability
Furthermore, as a board member, you are your association's first point of contact. People will regularly text you with questions, problems or things that need to be arranged, even in the evening, on weekends or when you are on holiday. Of course, you don't have to respond immediately, but be aware that office hours are not always taken into account.
Costs
Finally, a board year can be expensive. Because of the time you invest in your board year, you might work fewer hours at your part-time job. Meanwhile, you will probably spend more money on all the fun drinks, parties, trips and other activities you attend. It is therefore important to consider whether a board year is financially feasible for you. Fortunately, you can get an activism grant from the university. The amount depends on the type of board you do (full-time or part-time) and the distribution of this grant among your board members.
In short, a board year is a unique experience during which you develop yourself, meet many new people and have amazing experiences. Of course, there are downsides too, but if you’re excited about a board year and it fits your situation and wishes, it is definitely worth it!
