Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum’s Two Cents

I told Anudi how exactly I wanted to start this article and she panicked, saying that it was better to not risk it. Therefore, I decided to take the safer route instead. I remember standing in front of the gate during our club’s 11th Installation with a huge list of names along with Rtr. Anudi Karunaratne, complaining about why the list was not alphabetized. While standing there for a good two hours, I clearly remember saying “I’d like to help out next year but I do not want a position.” But Anudi would have none of it, as she would go on and on about how fun it would be if both of us were elected to the Board. My crippling social anxiety however, was already not liking the whole idea. And yet here I am, almost a year and half later, writing one last article as the Secretary of the Rotaract Club of University of Colombo, Faculty of Arts for the year 2021/22. 

I guess looking back at July 2021, I truly have grown as a person and for that I will always be grateful to Rotaract. From the DRR to the last registered prospective member, they have all taught me at least one small life lesson in a way. The Executive Board and the Board of Directors in particular were some people who made me realize that it is indeed an amazing experience to be part of a team. This group of talented human beings consisted of multiple perfectionists, a few who disappeared and reappeared occasionally but all of them often went out of their way to make sure my life was less hard. Though, I have to say that some of them once in a while have tested my patience! 

I would also like to thank two amazing and patient individuals who kept up with my tad dramatic self. I had a habit of texting either one of them or both (depending on how panicked I was) saying ‘small concern’ and then literally stating the most ridiculous situation I’ve gotten myself or both Anudi and I into! Our IPP, Methimini Akki and the Honorable GCC Adheeban Aiya, thank you for being supportive and very helpful throughout the year.

Rtr. Anudi was the voice and the face of the club, while I literally was (and enjoyed) being the typewriter. Each and every message or email was drafted by me to a point where I found it easier to write an email than to write a love letter! I’m pretty sure a lot of you are waiting for me to spill the tea on my perception of our Madam President, so here goes. She is the most honest and genuine individual I’ve ever met in my life. What was interesting was that I remember reading the handbook at the beginning of the year but it never said, “you have to be the alarm and the google calendar of your President.” If I had a dollar every time I had to call Anudi’s entire household to get in contact with her, our club would not need any sponsors for projects for a decade! She was such a fashionably late cat lady who surprisingly had her way of making sure not to annoy me. 

I also however, would like to point out that I would not have survived this year if it was not for tweedle dum who always stuck around through both the tough and the fun times. Since sharing is caring, I’d like to hand the flow over to our Assistant Secretary Rtr. Githmi to share a little bit of her insight and experience.

– Rtr. Dulari Bookoladeniya (Secretary)

Thank you Rtr. Dulari for that interesting insight into your Rotaract journey through the year 2021/2022.

As for me, since the beginning of my university life, I was determined to head out of my comfort zone and have as many new experiences as I could have that will help me grow as a person. I joined the Rotaract Club solely because of that reason and until now, it has been one of the best decisions I have taken in life. I thought that I would be able to gain a lot more knowledge and would be able to grow so much as an individual if I became a part of the Board for the year 2021/2022. So, I gleefully accepted the post of Assistant Secretary, even though it was a huge challenge to my introvert self.

Just as I expected and as Rtr. Dulari mentioned, I learned a lot of things that would help me in life by working with all the Board members as well as the general members. Be it how to write a letter, an article or how to handle challenging and tense situations. Every moment that I spent with them ended up being life lessons of their own. Not only that, I was able to collect fun memories that would last for a lifetime by working as a Rotaractor.

I would not have survived the year if not for our Madam Secretary, Rtr. Dulari Bookoladeniya. Sometimes she was a teacher, a relationship advisor, motivator and above all she was my friend. I learned a lot by observing how she worked. And whenever I was going through a difficult time she was always there to guide me through, so that I could get my work done on time. I will always be grateful to her and I’m glad I got to work alongside her.

Further, I would like to say that it is really hard to believe that an entire year has already passed since we were appointed to our posts. But looking back, I think working as the Assistant Secretary of the club for the Rotaract year 2021/2022 alongside other super empowering Board members was an experience that I will remember and cherish forever.

– Rtr. Githmi Koralage (Assistant Secretary)

Finally, we would like to wish the newly elected Board for the year 22/23 all the best for their future endeavors. We hope that they will have a blissful year ahead. Always believe in yourself. You kiddos can do a lot better than we ever could. 

It was definitely a rollercoaster ride but now things are gradually slowing down, which means our time is almost over. There’s no need to get all nostalgic, although the ride is over for us, there’s an entire park full of different experiences for young blood. After a hell of a ride with a multitude of ups and downs, this is #TeamSecretary21/22 of RACUOCFOA officially signing off.