If you take a walk around campus, chances are you will witness some unconventional, eyebrow-raising activities enough to make you pause for a moment before realising, “Oh right… It’s campaign season!” From the filming of Tiktok dances and trends (inclusive of enthusiastic yelling), to students hunched over concentratedly doing arts and crafts, and my personal favorite – doing 中国早操 in the middle of the basketball court for the whole school to witness and participate in – campaign season is nothing short of a spectacle. Even if you have not seen these firsthand, you are still likely to have come across at least one or two campaign posts on your Instagram feed.
But have you ever wondered: What exactly goes on behind the scenes? Today let us pull back the curtain on the whirlwind of campaign season, and take an insider’s look at the chaos, struggles and even hidden beauties of campaigning for candidates!
Despite how it might seem, campaign efforts do not only consist of fun and exciting activities. There is actually a mountain of tedious work to be done, including writing proposals, managing logistics, and tackling individual tasks. These deliverables come with tight, overlapping deadlines that demand great attention to detail. Here is a not-so-fun fact: something as small as failing to capitalise a single letter in your document title during submissions can result in an electoral demerit point! As a candidate shared, this electoral demerit point system is one that is “constantly looming over you.” One can imagine the immense stress and pressure candidates are put under as they strive to do their best while having to sweat over the tiniest of details.
Even the more fun and light-hearted pursuits require significant amounts of behind-the-scenes work to come to fruition. For example, a short 10 second reel has undergone an extensive process of ideation, vetting, filming, editing, scheduling, posting and then boosting for more engagement. It is also not just about quality, but quantity. One candidate shared that her group had to plan and closely follow a posting schedule to “keep up with the algorithm” – a statement she laughed at in disbelief. It seems that campaign season even has candidates turning into influencers, talk about versatility!
Regardless of how you feel about campaign season, one thing is for certain — it is definitely no easy feat for candidates. Beyond the sheer workload, the emotional toll can be just as difficult to carry. When asked about the challenges of campaigning, one word surfaced time and time again for candidates: stress. Described as “high-paced and high-intensity”, the campaign environment demands “emotional resilience and concentration”. For many candidates, pressure does not just stem from their responsibilities, but from the uncertainty that their efforts may not come to fruition. As one candidate put it: “I know I’m doing everything I can but at the same time, everyone is doing everything they can.” With campaign season stretching across several weeks, this persistent anxiety can weigh heavily on candidates, making the experience mentally and emotionally exhausting, as much as it is demanding.
All this begs the question: What keeps these candidates going? When the going gets tough, all the while success is never guaranteed, where do they find the motivation to push forward?
At the heart of their drive, as cliché as it sounds, is a desire to give back to Hwa Chong’s school community. Whether it is creating lasting memories, making meaningful impacts or fostering a more vibrant school life, every candidate shares a common purpose: to serve the student body.
“The looks on everyone’s faces during POP and seeing everyone sway, sing, shout and cheer together, that really made me feel like I want to be a part of helping to create these memories for people.”
One candidate emphasised that in spite of the challenges, campaigning itself is also a commitment to serving the student body: “In my opinion, our service to the school begins from when we are candidates for the Students’ Council — it’s our responsibility to contribute towards a vibrant election culture, and ensure that students feel empowered by our election culture and processes.”
Candidates have also come to embrace a different mindset of viewing campaigning not as the means to an end, but as a meaningful and fulfilling experience of growth and learning on its own.
“It’s one of those experiences that stretches you…and it’s a good stretch that pushes you to your limits, out of your comfort zone and helps you grow a lot as a person.”
Or, as one candidate put it simply: “You miss the shots you don’t take”. Regardless of the painstaking efforts taken, none have expressed any regret towards running for Council. One candidate shared: “The effort is worth it. In the end, we have to work for what we want.” (Could you feel the aura?)
Lastly, despite the horror stories of all-nighters and mental breakdowns over DPs and crazy deadlines, candidates have found moments of calm and enjoyment amidst the frenzy of campaigning, especially in good company. In their interviews, all candidates expressed a deep appreciation for their group mates. Besides the extra push of motivation and accountability that comes with working towards a shared goal, candidates found the genuine friendships and connections they formed to be truly invaluable. Long days and late nights seem to pass by just a little faster, and a whole lot sweeter, when filled with conversation and laughter. As two candidates put it, these moments have become “core memories”. One sweet sentiment, in particular, stood out: “I can’t imagine running for council with anybody else”. After all, while the journey matters, the people you share it with make all the difference.
By now, you have heard all the inspirational and touching sentiments, but let us be real for a moment. Truth is, as an observer of campaign season, there’s a good chance you’re feeling a little sick and tired of all the “VOTE ME”s being shoved in your face, and publicity posts flooding your Instagram feed. Honestly? No one would blame you. Even the candidates themselves would like to issue a sincere apology for the “bombardment of content”.
That said, as students, we all play an important role during this campaign and election season. One candidate put it best: “There’s a reason why council elections are by voting. At the end of the day, the people voting are the ones who are the most affected, because everything that council does is for the people. You’re choosing a representative for yourself.”
So the next time you scroll past a campaign post or see a candidate putting themselves out there, take a moment to hear them out! Behind every effort, big or small, there is genuine heart and a sincere desire to make your student life better. You have the power (and with that, the great responsibility!) to decide who can best do that for you.
And hey, if nothing else, maybe take a second to appreciate the time and energy that have gone into these campaign efforts. A little support never hurt anyone, and I can confidently say that any candidate would be beyond grateful for it.
Special thanks to Sophie (25S74), E Shyan (25S72), Elijah (25A14), Karine (25A14) and Arin (25A14) for all the wonderful insights they shared!
Thanks for reading :)
Written by Tham Song Yuan (25A14)
Edited by Zhang Chenrui Eric (24A14)
Designed by Qianhui
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