#2Chairz Exposed - The Ballad of the Techtorian
Picture of me not knowing what I’m getting myself into
Every second captured was every second I loved being a part of FASA. Being both Technology Chair and Historian for FASA gave me an opportunity to really be involved with FASA both online and in person.
Technology Chair and Historian may seem like they’re very similar to one another, but in reality, they are very much different. They’re basically two sides of the same coin if metaphors are still a thing. So if you just want to be one position over the other, I really encourage it. Technology Chair very much requires a lot of social media and digital software knowledge while Historian requires some photography and even video-editing knowledge, but they can overlap with one another. But let me tell you, these two positions, whether you decide on taking one or both, are very much worth it.
TBH, when I saw the title “Technology Chair” on the Board Application, I thought it was a position for nerds who loved computers and I was a nerd who knew what a computer was, so I at least fit half the criteria. In actuality, it’s not as bad as it sounds and is really one of the most flexible positions on board, imo.
So, what do you do? You are basically in charge of maintaining, moderating, and updating all of FASA’s Social Media accounts/sites like Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram. You are also in charge of making sure everyone is in the know about what’s going on in FASA (Disclaimer: tsismis not included) through event pages, emails, and reminders. You’re basically FASA’s moderator, making sure everything works well, is accessible, and looks good, and FASA’s messenger, communicating between the e-board and general members.
The position is a lot of fun and keeps you on your toes about FASA’s current mindset and planning. It’s one of the most flexible positions as you don’t necessarily spend a large amount of your time doing, but it is the most work-consistent, requiring you to make sure everyone knows what’s happening in FASA in the coming days. A lot of positions, such as Cultural and Social, have large peaks in work load for planning events throughout the year, but as Technology Chair, you have consistent but easy work, especially after I dusted out some of the kinks. TBH, you mostly take care of FASA’s newsletters which for me were bi-weekly email updates but you can make it as frequent or not as frequent as you want. The social media stuff can be done pretty quick and easy but do require some attention from time to time. The position has been through some rough patches recently, but I wanted to make sure this position was easy enough that anyone can do it but also deserving of a position on board. If I can make it work, then you can to.
Picture of me being a massive nerd, thx Kyla
You’ve most likely have seen me walking around at FASA events with a camera, taking pictures and whatever (straight chillin, you know). That is basically a good 85% of what this position is. “Documentation of FASA events,” according to the FASA Constitution, via pictures is what the bulk of this position entails. The position is a lot of fun and I recommend anyone to take it on. You are basically FASA’s private photographer but without the pay.
Since you do have to archive a lot of the FASA events, you pretty much have to be at all of the events. You can have someone cover for you if you have another event that conflicts, but it’s always fun to take pictures and be at FASA events (in theory). You also get to plan the Board Photoshoot, making board members look good and other orgs jealous (lol jk). You also get to make a slideshow for the leaving seniors at Senior Farewell, which was definitely an emotional moment for me. You don’t necessarily have to have a fancy camera to take pictures. Renting one from ISS is always an option if you don’t want to invest in a decent camera. Also, the camera quality on phones have massively improved over time so that’s also an option. BUT carrying around a camera is also a lot of fun and makes you look #professional. But again, that’s your choice. You do you.
From the start, I wasn’t the greatest photographer, having only a bit of knowledge of how a camera works like how to turn it on and push a button. But over time, I could definitely say I improved over time (I only sometimes remember to remove the lens cap off). I loved taking photos for FASA and capturing all the fun and safe adventures we all have together.
The other 15% involves making a FASA Board Video which is totally optional and highly-dependent on your time and energy. The Board Video took about 2 months of planning, filming, and editing. I’m pretty proud of the end result, despite having very little video editing skills, but I’m really happy I was able to get it done in an appropriate amount of time.
Overall, being Historian has been a fun journey for me. It’s more than I expected but something I would never regret doing.
Picture of me taking a picture, wao
So, here we are. One full year all condensed down to a couple of paragraphs. Being Techtorian allowed me the really test out my creative skills and talent. From my first task of creating the Senior Farewell Slideshow to my last newsletter, I was able to do the things that I would not have normally done. Planning Photoshoots and Videos was a real ordeal but it was entirely my choice to take on. Discovering and uncovering FASA secrets from previous Historians and Technology Chairs were some of the things I never expected (Did you know Technology Chair used to be called Webmaster and we had multiple FASA websites from previous boards?). There is so much more to being FASA’s Technology Chair and Historian that I wish I can encapsulate in a couple of sentences but I don’t want to spoil the fun. ;)
In the end, these two positions are all up to you to decide on what direction you want to go with them. You can make them really light positions, doing the bare minimum and reaching the requirements. Or you can go above and beyond, really loving these positions and doing essentially what you can to find more creative ways to flex your capabilities and exceed your constitutional duties for FASA.
But above everything else, you are a FASA board member. You work hard to make FASA an essentially Fun and Safe Space for everyone to have and be at. You are part of the FASA Executive Board, no matter the work load, so don’t think for a second that you’re position is any lesser than any other. We are family within a family, working hard to make sure our Ates, Kuyas, and Adings love every aspect of being a FASA member through the events and craziness we get ourselves into.
To my FASA board members, thank you for being there for me with all the laughs and stress we’ve been through. I will never forget all the board binding we’ve gotten ourselves into.
To the future Board members, I trust you with the fate of FASA. I can assure you that yeah it’s a lot of work but what you put in is what you’ll take out. But please keep your academics first before FASA. FASA will still love you.
I loved being #2Chairz and Techtorian, but it’s something that I can’t keep forever. For the future Historians and Technology Chairs, I wish the best of luck and hopefully I’ve set the bar for you guys to reach. No pressure.
I love FAFSA and all the financial aid they give to me and I love FASA and all the love they give to me. Thank you and good luck.
-2Chairz / Techtorian / DJ EJ
“A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people” -Annie Leibovitz
