Student Coordinator for SITAR-2K24
From Volunteer to Coordinator: My College Fest Journey
Last year, I was just one of the many volunteers running around during our college festival doing what I could, learning quietly, and watching how the bigger things came together. I still remember those moments staying late to help with decorations, making last-minute runs for supplies, and simply being a part of the crowd that made the festival happen. I didn’t have a big role, but I gave my best. And maybe that small act of dedication—doing simple things with sincerity made all the difference.
Fast forward to this year, I wasn’t standing on the sidelines anymore. I was given the opportunity to lead an entire event as the Coordinator. It might sound like just a title, but to me, it meant much more. It was a recognition of trust, effort, and the countless unseen hours that went into volunteering the year before. It felt like the beginning of something greater, a moment where passion and responsibility finally met.
But with the title came challenges. The excitement of the festival was now mixed with pressure, deadlines, and unpredictability. Decisions had to be made quickly, problems solved instantly, and people managed with patience. I realized leadership wasn’t just about giving instructions; it was about staying calm when things go wrong and believing in the team when everything feels uncertain. The late nights, the endless calls, the chaos before the event, all of it tested me, yet shaped me in ways I never imagined.
Standing there on the day of the fest, watching the event unfold, I felt something truly special. It wasn’t pride alone it was the joy of seeing my team’s efforts come alive, of witnessing ideas turn into moments, and of knowing that every bit of struggle led to this. That day taught me that leadership isn’t about perfection, it’s about persistence and purpose.
Being a coordinator changed me. It taught me accountability, teamwork, and the art of handling pressure with a calm smile. It made me realize how growth often begins in unexpected places with an opportunity that feels daunting at first but turns into something beautiful in the end.
From a volunteer trying to learn to a coordinator leading from the front, the journey came full circle. And with it came a deeper lesson that success isn’t about recognition, but about becoming a version of yourself you once only dreamed of being.