After being postponed, everyone in the school was extremely excited for the upcoming school elections and even more excited for the campaign day before the elections. This was the first time in the history of BEC (our school) that we had 5 candidates, fighting for the same, highest post, of the council; the head boy. It was common news in the school that this time student council elections and campaigns would be different and unique from the previous elections and campaigns.
The race for a post in the student council actually started on 17 September, Tuesday, as this was the day on which the candidates for selected posts in the student council had their election. Different students from different classes went to our senior mistress’s office throughout the day, going in nervous, and returning anxious. Their anxiety seemed to die down a bit when they got to know the announcements for their posts.
The big day was Wednesday, 18 September. The campaign day; the day which would decide the date of the student council. Students arrived; excited, nervous and anxious, planning to leave a mark on the council on this day. The day, however, was not how everyone imagined it to be. Rather, it was much more “normal”, especially in the first half. Students attended classes regularly until all the boys from senior and middle sections were summoned to an open area on the second floor.
It was time for speeches, from the candidates of head boy and deputy head boy posts. The deputies went first, giving outstanding speeches and getting great support from the crowd. Then, one by one, the 5 candidates for head boy came to the stage to deliver their speeches. These candidates also gave extremely well written and marvelous speeches. Some of them also did other side (shows?) to gain the attention of the crowd, like ripping their speech, which was written on a piece of paper, I half before they delivered. A huge round of applause could be heard after each candidate went backstage, a couple even sparked some screams.
Our break took place after the speeches, which was what everyone was looking forward to, like every other day, but today a bit more. It was the climax of the day, as crowds of different candidates rushed in the school ground, while the candidates themselves were trying to increase their support. People could be seen wearing different colored bands on their arms and other accessories like masks and glasses, showing everyone the candidate of their choice, multiple slogans were being yelled at the highest volume. Supporters made sure that their candidate of choice did not go unnoticed. The candidates also caught some air as they were picked up by their supporters as a product of the pure chaos and adrenaline. The teachers really had a difficult time getting students back inside the school after the break campaign time was over.
In the second half of the day, candidates went to different classes to present their ideas and dreams to students. Candidates showed up, mostly with a poster, and basically summarized their speeches, and added more, yet brief and interesting points which would lead to the students wanting to vote for that specific candidate.
The last push of the campaign took place after the school was over. Candidates tried to convince people to vote them, mostly through tame talk and not through yelling slogans. This was the candidates last chance to convince the crowd, as campaigning on the election day could get them disqualified.
The election day took place on Thursday, 19th September. People could be seen asking their friends about whom they vote for after they were done casting their votes on the computers in the school’s computer lab. The talk about these elections was the least, as candidates feared their disqualification.
Then the result day; the day a lot of people were looking forward to and others were dreading. As it was a really tough match between 2 of the head boy candidates, when one of their name was announced, half the audience screamed in joy while the other half watched in confusion.
