Today I speak with the active member of the month February: Jet Vugts, proud chair of the Synergy Ski Trip Committee. After ten full days of fun, skiing and après-ski at St. François Longchamp with good weather, 44 happy students returned to Nijmegen. If 165 km of ski slopes weren’t enough to fulfil everyone’s wishes, the committee also organized several cool activities. From having dinner at a local restaurant and Dinner Roulette to a Beach Party in the local club and a beer pong tournament. All in all, a trip to never forget.
The preparations for the Synergy Ski Trip
Jet, your typical workaholic, was together with her six committee members responsible for organizing the trip. Last year she also went on the Synergy Ski Trip and for her, this was the perfect way to combine her love for skiing (she has been skiing since she was a kid) and her wish to meet new people. Her absolutely superb experience led her to join the Synergy Ski Trip Committee the following year. To be chosen as a chair, wasn’t something Jet expected, as she didn’t have any prior experience with organizing something big like this. Even more so, this was her first committee ever and as such, she wasn’t familiar with all the different functions, the responsibilities that came with it and how to manage this. It took this hard working, structured girl some time to get the hang of it. To have been on the previous Ski Trip helped her a great deal, she mentions. Additionally, the 24/7 support of the board, for which she is incredible grateful, steered her in the right direction. In particular Marjolein gave her a much appreciated helping hand when dealing with difficulties. Therefore, Jet would like to give “a big Thank You to the Board”!
The Synergy Ski Trip
The thing Jet enjoyed most is how beginners go from a few falls during the first meters to hitting a slope reasonably well in the next days. Luckily for Jet, she didn’t fall at all, as she is quite the experienced skier. Jet recalls the vivid Dinner Roulette. According to her, it was very well prepared and everyone had brought a nice, original dish from home. The ambiance was very cosy.
Jet would do it all over again, because it was pretty satisfying to please everyone. At the first drink after the Ski Trip all Synergy members (also people who hadn’t joined the trip) were very enthusiastic. In Jet’s eyes this is certainly a good sign. However, she underestimated how much effort goes into organising an event of this size. To illustrate this: from the moment she woke up, her phone was on for emergencies, even while skiing on the slopes. A major emergency was when a girl got injured on the ski slopes and had to return home early. Another thing Jet hadn’t realized is the challenge to organize something with people who also have little committee experience and who you hardly know at the start. Getting to know each other, how to communicate with each other and how to manage expectations turned out to be pretty straightforward for Jet. Looking back at the team work, everything happened smoothly and everyone could count on each other.
Jet’s biggest take away? “To be tough”, even if you don’t want to, instead of pleasing everyone. She noticed that she found it quite difficult to be strict and remind someone of his duties, although it is really necessary sometimes. In the future she’ll be able to speak out about something to someone earlier.
The future
Altogether, Jet definitely enjoyed organizing the Synergy Ski Trip. And what will the future bring this 20-year old ‘kletskous’? Jet hopes to stay active at and connected to Synergy by participating in the Introduction Week Committee. Afterwards she might join a more career related committee. Synergy in one sentence for her? Broadening your horizons, fun parties and a good place to meet people!
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