The 54th board of FAECTOR had many unexpected challenges to deal with. How did they overcome these and manage to make the most of their board year? We talked to them as they reflect on the past year.
Daniel Allick 
1. What is your favorite memory of this year?
I think my favorite memory is our board trip to Athens. We spent over a week in Greece enjoying the beautiful weather, amazing food and incredibly cheap red wine.
2. What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the fact that we become such a close group this year. Of course we had our discussions, but I believe we formed a group of friends rather than a board.
3. What is the most important thing you learned this year?
How important it is to listen carefully to somebody instead of just hearing what a person is saying.
4. What are some tips that you would like to give to the new board members this year?
Although times are tough at the moment and we are all living with a great amount of uncertainty, try to enjoy and celebrate the little moments. Your board year is a unique year, which will stay with you for the rest of your lives.
Sophie Braggaar 
1. What is your favorite memory of this year?
By far, my favorite memory is the Ski Trip! I loved enjoying this with my amazing Event Committee. We went with almost 90 students, which was the highest amount ever and as you would all expect, this resulted in a lot of fun. We were very lucky that this trip was right before Covid-19 came to the Netherlands.
2. What are you most proud of?
That we worked hard as a board to accomplish everything even in the second half of the year when Covid-19 canceled all our fun events.
3. What is the most important thing you learned this year?
To work with so many different people. I think this will be useful for the rest of my life.
4. What are some tips that you would like to give to the new board members this year?
Enjoy every moment! Before you know it could be over ...
Fabrice van Roozendaal 
1. What is your favorite memory of this year?
I would say the ski trip in January was my favorite moment. I learned how to ski in a short amount of days, I got to know a lot of new people, we had a lot of fun at the apres-ski, and my birthday also took place during the trip! Besides this there are many activities and events which I enjoyed so much, but this trip stood out for me.
2. What are you most proud of?
The fact that we managed to pull through given all that happened. It definitely was a combined effort of the board and our active members. We managed to keep going despite all the events that got canceled, because I think I speak for everyone when I say that all the events we normally organize is what makes such a year fun. We had to simply cancel everything for months which was quite demoralizing.
3. What is the most important thing you learned this year?
That every person has their limits. I definitely learned a lot about my own limits when it comes to pressure and stress, but also that it is very different for the people around me. A board year is packed with events, tasks, and obligations which you simply need to deal with in your own way. I learned a lot from how I approached these things, but I also learned a lot from observing myself doing so.
4. What are some tips that you would like to give to the new board members this year?
FAECTOR has had 54 boards now who have spent 54 years governing the association. Use the knowledge that is usually a small text message away, ask for help or advice, because nobody expects you to know everything, now or later. There is no shame in asking for help. Lastly, just make sure to enjoy the year, how cliché this advice might be, it is very true. Don't get stuck in mistakes, the nice thing about a board year is that you can make mistakes without getting punished. Make sure to enjoy the nice moments with each other so you can look back to the board year with a smile.
Charlotte van der Heide 
1. What is your favorite memory of this year?
There is not one favorite moment I could pick, but mostly just the moments we were hanging out together with the board. It were these moments that you really got to see how close we've all gotten and how good of a friendship we created. One of the highlights was definitely our Board holiday to Athens, the first time we hang out after the office got closed due to corona and the seven course dinner we hosted to end our board year together. We all got to cook a course and had to make a speech about our year: true night for the books!
2. What are you most proud of?
As Career Officer, it is definitely the ECD that I am extremely proud of. The ECD 2019 was the most successful edition so far and I am really proud that the committee was able to pull that off. Next to that, the sudden changes that occurred due to the coronavirus and the way we had to prepare the association for the next coming weeks, months or years was something nobody had done before. There was no book to tell us what to do, but I think we were able to be flexible and take opportunities as they came, something I am really proud of too.
3. What is the most important thing you learned this year?
How to work together with people that have a different way of working 😉 I think it is impossible to have 7 people that have to work so intensely together, without some frustrations every now and then. Luckily, you learn a lot from each other as well and you get know how to work best together with each person. I wouldn't have had it any other way!
4. What are some tips that you would like to give to the new board members this year?
Very cliché, but definitely to enjoy every moment !!! We got to experience ourselves how suddenly the fun can end when we had to start working from home and didn't get to host any events or see each other anymore. A board year is an incredible opportunity, and you should make sure to not take yourself too seriously every now and then too; enjoy it fully.
Herman Martens 
1. What is your favorite memory of this year?
Definitely the board holiday to Athens and the FAECTOR ski tip. The times at the office are great, but I will never forget the trips. Enjoying the sun while everyone in Rotterdam is doing exams is one of the great benefits of a board year. And what's not to like about skiing with your fellow board members and a good apres ski with great tunes like 'Come on Eileen'.
2. What are you most proud of?
How we deal with the situation regarding the coronavirus. We worked from home for over 4 months, of which 2 months we didn't even see each other. Despite that all the events got canceled, there was perhaps even more work than normal, though with less reward. I think as a board we handled the situation very well and kept each other motivated, even though it was not the board year we signed up for. I think we can be very proud of this.
3. What is the most important thing you learned this year?
Regarding the coronavirus definitely flexibility. Things don't go as you planned and you still have to make the best of it. Next to that, during my board year I learned a lot while visiting all companies about how they work and how informal the contact with them actually is. Also, actually listening to the opinions of others while you don't agree is sometimes very hard but definitely a useful skill that I developed throughout the board year.
4. What are some tips that you would like to give to the new board members this year?
Simply enjoy it as much as possible. You only get to do this year once and it is an unbelievable experience.
Evita Hoogeveen 
1. What is your favorite memory of this year?
I think I have to give the typical answer that I don't have one favorite memory. From working in the office and (fun) meetings with committee members till PENGUIN and our board holiday. The variety of tasks and events makes this whole year an unforgettable memory.
2. What are you most proud of?
I'm very proud of my fellow board and committee members. In general, but also because of their flexibility due to COVID-19. All of a sudden our events and trips got canceled, but we managed to motivate ourselves and to keep on going.
3. What is the most important thing you learned this year?
I learned plenty of things this year, but I think working together in a team is the most important one. You work together with the other board members, but also with committees or in my case with people from university. This means you need to listen to others, but you also need to have your own opinion about lots of things. Moreover do you work with different people and therefore you also need to be able to adapt easily; the one moment you have a FC meeting and the other moment a meeting with Professors.
4. What are some tips that you would like to give to the new board members this year?
Enjoy every single moment, since your board year is over before you know it. Of course there can be intense discussions (and sadness because events you worked so hard for get canceled because of COVID-19). But it's important to deal with this as a group (of friends). Doing a board year is a once in a lifetime experience and unique because of the combination between student life and working life. So do the things you like to do, spend time with your board and committees and look back sometimes to see what you have already reached.
Hiro French 
1. What is your favorite memory of this year?
Ski-trip, unfortunately it was our only trip last year but it was an amazing trip. A trip of (apres-)skiing on the slope, flying presidents of the board and Eileen. Just before the corona situation struck us we went away with 80 students to the picturesque place San Sicario.
2. What are you most proud of?
The almanac obviously, is that even a question?
3. What is the most important thing you learned this year?
Getting structure in your life.
4. What are some tips that you would like to give to the new board members this year?
Enjoy every moment, even though Corona has a big impact on your year. And blow of some steam at the Smitse from time to time.
For our readers who are unaware, 'lulletje van het jaar' is a common phrase used to address a person that did the thing that was the most stupid thing of the year.
