Inheriting the Earth brings the weight of the World

So I think there is a quote somewhere out that that hits on the point that one often experiences the most growth in times of struggle, challenge, and vulnerability. Obviously, it's a bit more elegant than that, but you get the picture.

Well, this quote really came to life for me last year when I took on the how-could-this-be-so challenging role of Block "O" President. Now, before I begin, I should preface my story by saying that this position was also one of the most fun, rewarding, and empowering experiences I have ever had. Underneath it all, it still had its glorifying moments, I still got to cheer on the Buckeyes, work with people I thought I'd never meet, and make "you had to be there to believe it" memories.

Since I cannot paint, I will provide you with the necessary information for this learning experience.

Background Info: I first fell in love with the idea of Block "O" before I even came to Ohio State. I met former President Josiah Dhaenens during the summer before college began, as he was an Orientation Leader and I was a freshman. He took me under his wing, and through the first half of my freshman year, I never missed a single Block "O" game, meeting, or event. I ran for and was elected to the position of NutHouse Director in the spring of my freshman year. This was the best and most rewarding experience I've ever had in college. At the end of my sophomore year, I then ran for President of Block "O". This is where it all begins.

Essentially, here is the thesis of how I grew: I had never been more challenged more by people, both working with and against me, than when I was in this position. Without getting into the specific details of names and situations, as I do not feel those are appropriate to expel upon this blog, here are three of the biggest lessons I learned learned:

Managing People, Managing Friends
Until this position, I had never really experienced the feeling of being openly disliked. It sucks, and I would never wish that feeling upon anyone. Every decision, every meeting, and even things that couldn't possibly require commentary were scrutinized, often simply for the sake of argument. Every day, with in-person, digital, and even second-hand communication, I felt as though I was walking through a mine field.

Time management
Despite that I've been told since freshman year of high school that if you spread yourself too thin, you can't give all of yourself to everything, I did not actually feel the effects of this until spring of my sophomore year when I was involved in way more than one should ever be when holding the title of "President" for any organization. This hurt my relationships with people and organizations that were not getting the time from me that they deserved--most importantly, Block "O". This was unacceptable and I used the summer to reevaluate my priorities. I had to cease my participation in many things I loved, but sacrifices had to be made if I was to succeed in this role for Block "O". It was worth cutting back.

My values
There were many times where rules and decisions were challenged. I was stalwart on some and lenient on others. However,  I never once wavered on my values. There were a few specific and very memorable instances where other members of the executive team challenged the values of this organization, this University, and myself.  I have regretted not enforcing some of our rules as much as I would have liked, but I never once regretted doing what was morally right.

During my tenure as President, I only saw things in terms of wins and losses. However, now that I am many months removed from the positon, I am able to look back much more favorably and ways that I was able to build strong relationships, build the organization, and learn so much more about myself. Lessons that I am still applying to my life today.