“When I say WIE - you say Soc!”, I wildly chanted at WIESoc’s 2018 Ball, gaining questionable looks from many fuzzy faces in the enormous crowd. My first year on the WIESoc team had come to an end and as you can probably tell, I’d had a very enjoyable experience! 

Now you might be thinking … “She’s got a lot of self-confidence to go up on stage and make a meme of herself like that.” (I must admit - I have no shame and still laugh about it to this day!) 

Surprisingly, I did not start my engineering degree with so much self-confidence. I struggled with almost every first-year subject, I felt intimidated as the only girl sitting in a tutorial room and I didn’t have a very tight-knit group of friends. Despite being a usually-energetic individual, my first couple of weeks at university left me feeling stupid, lonely and bored. 

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My WIESoc Journey:‍

I decided to take the advice of the many enthusiastic, friendly faces that I’d met at O-Week and I got involved with my first society. It was EngSoc’s Volunteer Development Program - and whilst it didn’t lead me to becoming EngSoc’s president (big love to EngSoc though), it certainly opened up a gateway to where I am now as the president of WIESoc. 

During one of the program events, I encountered the president of WIESoc and she convinced me to apply for a director position on the team. She was so kind, warm and lovely that I couldn’t resist applying, despite being unsure of whether I’d even have the time to be part of a society team! 

I was fortunate to make the 2018 WIESoc team as a Protege Program co-director, and I had such an amazing time. By the end of the year, I’d made so many friends - both internal team members and general WIESoc members.
Being a part of the team also developed my confidence as an engineering student, as I was able to connect with older students who helped me with assignments, as well as my personal confidence, as I was surrounded by like-minded individuals who loved to have fun! 

But my WIESoc journey was only just beginning ...

In 2019, I was welcomed into WIESoc’s executive team as the secretary. This position taught me how to manage my time with so many ongoing commitments. I also noticed professional development, as I began to interact with industry representatives more frequently, allowing me to develop the confidence to speak to industry. Despite all serious business, I continued to enjoy my time, creating even closer friendships within the team! 

Fast forward to 2020, and I am now the President of WIESoc! My goal for this year is to provide you guys with the avenues to build your own self-confidence and feel like genuine members of the WIESoc community. I want to share the same pleasant experiences that I have had in WIESoc with you all, so that you too can make the best of your time at university! 

Me, Myself and I:‍

Despite being the El Presidente of WIESoc, I do have a lot of other fun aspects to my life! 

• Since 2017, I’ve run my own dessert-making business through instagram, as a creative outlet to take a break from the hectic engineering life. I bake cakes, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, macarons, cheesecakes and much more. 

• I love my dog more than anything on this planet! He is a six year old Maltese/Shih Tzu and whilst he can be aggressive when he first meets you, he calms down into the sweetest pupper who just wants pats and belly rubs all day. 

• I love to binge watch TV shows such as First Dates UK and Gogglebox UK. Ask me to give you my best British accent if you see me ‘round uni. 
• My favourite colour is pink! 

Some Words of Wisdom:

Get involved! If you’re looking for a sign - this is it. 

The WIESoc team is so warm and supportive - we are always looking to meet new people and make new friends. I promise if you approach a WIESoc team member, you will always feel welcomed. We want you to be a part of the WIESoc community - so come to our events, participate in our programs, utilise our social media platforms, follow our blogs and stay in touch! 

Despite recent disruptions to university caused by COVID-19, WIESoc is still working hard to make sure you guys can get involved through virtual platforms. Make sure you participate in our virtual initiatives to ensure self-isolation does turn into social-isolation. ‍

So my dear WIESoc friends, let's support each other and watch each other grow. I hope to see you around (both online, and in-person)!

Lots of love,
Ange