With Power Comes Responsibility

Ever wish that the right person would hear the whispers of the world? Ever find that, when it suddenly becomes a loud voice, that there’s a sudden desire for it to quiet down again?

As cliche as it may be, the saying “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility” from Spiderman might hold some truth to it.

The MBA ICC came to a close last Friday, which brought some sadness and happiness since it was fast-paced, but very enjoyable. I heard many times that I might be promoted the next time I volunteer for the event (hopefully next year), meaning that I would be a Lead Volunteer next time.

Truth be told, I’ve no idea what that title means, but I would assume that it comes with more responsibilities and more tasks. I’ve always worked in the background & was never promoted so quickly. As quickly as my excitement came, so did dread… that I couldn’t keep up with their expectations, whatever they would be.

No matter the environment, when it comes to a change in position, especially upwards in the hierarchy, it can be terrifying because it may mean different environment and different rules. It could mean that more reliability and more publicity, and less leeway. All of those can lead the despair of meeting the future expectation, even when they aren’t even known yet. When in that new position, you could find yourself overwhelmed… or maybe it’s not as hard as you imagined it to be. Maybe, with time, it’ll become easier and comfortable.

With power comes responsibility, regardless if it’s with Peter becoming Spiderman or another Peter becoming an Honour Student, it can be nerve-wracking. While it might seem terrifying in our heads, we don’t know for sure until we try it. As a friend told me, “If you don’t try, you won’t know.”

 

An ulterior motive.. or not

Ever hear of the characters in  a story that manipulates others into doing their bidding? Ever hear of the characters in the stories that always say positive things, never negative? Ever hear of the expression “politeness is mistaken for flirtation”?

In a world where every possibility, every outcome has become a novel/movie/song, every action is taken into question, wondering if the person has an ulterior motive. Maybe it’s different elsewhere, but it seems as though any action, whether good or bad, has a cost and that nothing is free for either parties (those giving and those receiving).

As one of the many volunteers in the MBA ICC, I was given many compliments for doing a good job. I was more than happy to hear that, but I couldn’t help but wonder of the reason for all of those compliments. As a social science student, I know a few things about behaviours and reasons behind them, but I couldn’t find any reasons that would be an ulterior motive.

Then, I started to think of what I had done over the little time that I had been there. To me, they seemed insignificant, minor, but is it all too impossible that they might be viewed differently by others? Could it be that I’m too critical on my actions?

More questions than answers – why not neither? While today is a world where the media shows every possibility, sometimes the result is a simple one. Maybe someone gives a compliment just for the sake of making someone smile; maybe someone adopts a pet from a shelter for companionship; maybe someone gives a compliment to show another’s value from another angle. Maybe… they just do that act of kindness because they want to – no other reason.

Happy 2016! +2016 Resolution

Is it possible to stick to a resolution following New Year’s? Can the resolution change?

Happy 2016, people of the internet. Around this time of the year, maybe even earlier, people make resolutions, which always fascinates me. Most of the time, it’s something along the lines of a certain weight goal (hence why studies have shown a spike in Gym Memberships around this time).

As usual, I wanted to expand my network, so I volunteered for an annual event called the MBA ICC, which is where students from all over the world (Finland, Singapore, US, Sweden, France, are among the many) come in to compete in front of judges who are CEOs of companies with an actual case. It started on January 3rd (yesterday), and it’s been… mind blowing!

On day one, I was with many lead volunteers, learning the ropes of the hotel and testing out the equipments for the evening party (turned out that the karaoke machine needed fixing :C). Day two, I was again doing preparations for future events, whether it was for the volunteers or for the party in the evening.

One thing that I realized today that may have taken a while to notice was that I was given a lot of responsibilities, considering it was my first time volunteering at such an event. On day one, I was grouped with the lead volunteers when I myself was given the label of simply a “volunteer”. Whenever there was a problem, I had to make a decision, and the volunteer coordinator (Miguel) had a lot of confidence in me. 

Obviously, being careful with this new boost in confidence, it may mean that I might want to look at myself in a positive light, rather than constantly or frequently critical of everything (bad habit of Social Scientists).

So, my resolution of 2016? Make a more honest self-portrait. Instead of taking other people’s opinions as facts, get those facts myself. Find my passion and strive in this leap year. Today’s day 3 of a 366 journal – let’s make it a good story.