July 9th-16th

First week finished and I'm really beginning to settle in well. The daily blogs are actually good fun and we all eagerly await to read one another's weekly instalments of: Heffo's Home Truths Tuesday, Comer's Communiqué ar an gCéadaoin, Guiney's Gazette on a Thursday & Breslin's State of the Union Friday Address. The blogs really express the different personalities of the officers. What's my Monday instalment to be called I hear you ask? I think Mícheál's Mirror on a Monday is appropriate, as like the Mirror newspaper I have the writing capabilities of a ten year old.

Here's an update you as to what I've been up to over the last week: Condoms, condoms and even more condoms! I've gotten the best rate in town for the condoms if any societies wanna get their orders in through me check out my Google doc here: https://docs.google.com/a/ucdsu.ie/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dC1ySEEwODBvQnRpMGZCZzJCU242WWc6MQ#gid=0

Ok, I think the last paragraph makes me sound like a bit of a sex fiend ranting on about condoms, but remember they are vital to prevent STI's and unwanted pregnancy.

I've also been taking quite a few personal cases helping people sort out accommodation issues, representing them to Student Welfare Fund committee meetings and simply being someone there to listen to students who are in distress. I really think the peer support that our Students' Union provides is one of the most indispensible aspects of the services that we offer. I say this in light of different surveys and reports releasing shocking statistics such as 7% young people having attempted suicide (My World Survey) and 34% of students nearly dropping out of college due to course related stress (campus.ie survey). Looking at these concrete evidence based studies help me conceptualise how I'll effectively run student campaigns during the year.
On the campaign front I've been flat out with the whole team getting in gear for the 12^th August March for Marriage, Paddy & I went into town to meet Marriage Equality last Wednesday to do some pre campaign planning. Shane & I have also been policy researching for the SUSI information campaign launch on August 13^th, as well as working with Paddy storyboarding an information video for the campaign.

I think for my next blog I'm gonna do something fun, like making all the sabbats do a personality test and throwing in my own analysis from knowing them. They're by far the most interesting team I've had to work with in my life so far, all of them possessing powerful personalities.

Anyway, that was this week's instalment of Mícheál's Mirror on a Monday tune in next week for another dose of Welfare related fun. :)