Today marks a special day in my career in higher education politics, and so I thought I'd share my thoughts on its significance.
So, today I have served 1500 days on the Student Union Executive Board. I don't know if that number alone says much, but it's a lot. For example, it's longer than it should have taken me to graduate, it's longer than one term in the Finnish Parliament
I am very proud to live in a country where we have student volunteers who work incredibly hard to improve their lives and the lives of their fellow students. Being a student activist is not just something you add to your CV, it's hard work. Representing your fellow students is an honour, but more importantly, a responsibility.
However, as students, this job is not always so visible and we as a student movement sometimes have to explain ourselves and fight for our survival. But the most important work is often done behind the scenes, and so I would like to tip my hat to everyone who has ever worked for the good of students; you are doing an incredibly important job! The job is not always easy and you sometimes receive some criticism, sometimes undeserved, but still we keep working for a better future, for all of us.
But the work can also be very rewarding. Despite the fact that it can sometimes take a long time to achieve the desired results and knowing that we can never be finished, there are actually many people who appreciate and also show their appreciation openly. And there is nothing more rewarding than sitting down after a long day and realising that you have made a difference today and that your work means more than you think.
Advocacy has to be done all the time, and if it's done well, it's rarely noticed. But if it doesn't work, it's noticed almost immediately. We need to let our voices be heard and make sure they are never silenced. That is why the student movement exists, and I hope it never disappears.
