Imagine being paid to hang out with your friends.
Okay – that’s not the only thing I had to do in my job, but it was one of the best perks that came with it.
Hi! I’m Abhishree Pandey, I study law and I worked as the Community Facilitator of Stamford Street Apartments for the academic year 2023-24.
Being a CF means what the name suggests – engage with the residents and facilitate a sense of community amongst them. We do that by planning and hosting events. And these events can be so fun! Me and my co-worker, Brenda Cuti, dedicated our hearts and souls to planning these events, because we loved coming up with new and creative ideas. These ranged from chill events like Puzzle Nights, Hot Chocolate Nights and Breakfast Buffets to ones that bring your inner child out – like Lego Making, Pottery Nights and Karaoke Nights. And guess what? We ourselves enjoyed the events we planned! Like yes, of course, we had to tend to the guests, provide them with food, make sure they felt comfortable, but then we also got to sing in the Karaoke Nights, make our own little pottery and have hot chocolate!
The job comes with its set of responsibilities, but it is tailored for a student. I loved being able to plan shifts according to my own availability. And the work location is basically where I lived- so that was very convenient. Benefits like these definitely made it one of the best jobs a student can apply for (and it pays really well too, so who’s complaining?).
My friends came to all of my events, and so did many other residents. We exceeded our expected number of attendees every week. The whole job was very rewarding and satisfying, mostly because you get to make sure people are having fun, WHILE having fun! The events were always a hub for connecting and socializing, and safe-to-say, we had many regulars.
The whole experience was very special to me. It was always funny to see the number of attendees almost doubling at every food-related event (our Pizza Parties were very popular and all the pizzas always finished within the first hour). I loved seeing guests make new things like bracelets or bouquets and take them home with them. I loved how my efforts impacted people’s lives ever-so-slightly, because at the end of the day, the smiles I got from our guests were heartwarming. Naturally, I met lots of people and made some really great friends as a part of the job, but I’d have to say, the most special takeaway from this job is how it began with me working with a coworker and ended with me working with a truly great friend. Getting closer to your coworker is an amazing experience and bonding over your work is something that simply makes you more passionate about your job – and I am grateful that it happened to me.
Overall, I am so thankful to ResiLife for presenting me with this opportunity and letting this be a part of my first year at King’s.
Post contributed by Abhishree Pandey, Community Facilitator & second year Law student
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