Recently, student elections were held at Falmouth University, and the results that spilled out into each hopeful candidates’ inbox strongly anticipated the gleeful triumph of those successful, yet disappointment for those who lost to their peers. But to gain success it forever seems necessary to receive a few hard knock backs along the way. What really matters is how you get there.
To promote some spectacular publicity, one candidate – Hassan and his crew – put together a rather special piece of creative work between them when, one lunchtime, tables were turning in the midst of cutlery clatter and boisterous chitchat between students in the lower Stannery. With less than a week before voting for nominees closed, it seemed Hassan was ready to sway peoples’ opinions about who they should cast their vote for.
So, ultimately, what better way to do that than to put together a flash mob? With the sun streaming through the glass windows, Hassan and his flash mob crew took centre stage as one person started dancing, and then following into step came another … and then another. Until approximately twenty people were joining in with the carefully choreographed moves.
Laughter was loudly heard throughout the lower Stannery that lunchtime, as people stopped what they were doing and watched the team perform, with enthusiasm radiating off them; it was infectious. The dedication shown by Hassan to the election was fantastic, and that dedication also leaked through to the students who gave up their time to take part in his flash mob.
Hassan: Candidate for Campus President Elections
When asked for her thoughts on the flash mob, Sophie Weston, a Performance Theatre student who took part said: “It was very exciting when asked to be a part of it, I couldn’t say no!”
And despite the dangerous assumption that to take part in something like this you need to have performance skills, the diversity of students involved in the production of the flash mob refuted that theory, as students from all kinds of different courses, from English to Performance Theatre, became indulged in the practice sessions, and ultimately the main event in the Stannery.
Sophie Weston expressed: “I loved the rehearsal part. Everyone who was there was really up for a good time and enjoying themselves whilst learning the moves. Whether you were a dancer or not the choice of dance that Hassan chose was simple and quick for us all to learn.”
Of course, it could never be certain that by putting together something like this, it would immediately earn Hassan his gold stars to get him elected for campus president, and sadly, on this occasion it wasn’t the case. With a near four hundred votes to his name, Hassan sadly lost the election. However, the respect and grace he showed to his successor when beaten was admirable. Despite the results, it’s clear that, with the title of university campus president to his name or not, he can be a solid role model for students across campus, who strive for success in whatever walk of life they choose.