When sitting at your high school and college commencement ceremonies, you will hear speeches meant to guide, advise, and inspire as you look to your future. You may even be one of the people giving one of these phenomenally inspirational speeches. Nuggets of wisdom and mature advice rain down on us as we stand at the end of an adventure and face the unknown. Far less often are we able to hear advice giving specific insight and wisdom at the outset of a particular adventure. Former HOSA Chapter and State Officers from across the country stepped up to the podium to deliver their best insights and tips as you set out to lead your chapters this year. Here is a brief rundown of the top three themes present in the advice they had to share:

3.  Go Pro

As a Chapter or State Officer, you are an elected official representing a professional student organization. Keep this in mind as you lead meetings, meet new people and travel to HOSA events around your state and country. Practicing public speaking, ironing your uniform, nailing down basic grammar (your or you’re?), attending meetings, and learning to dance so as not to embarrass HOSA or yourself are just a few key elements to putting your most professional foot forward. Impressions matter, and as an officer of HOSA, it is important to make the best impression possible.

2.   ReMEMBER Why You Were Elected

All officers, whether elected to represent 20,000 students in their state, or 5 students in their chapter, have the same job: to listen to their membership and take their vision for the future to the next level. Talk to the people who elected you, get the students in your chapter involved in activity planning, delegate tasks and provide encouragement and support along the way. Remember that you’re all a part of HOSA-Future Health Professionals because of a passion for healthcare and excellence.

1.  Work Hard, Have Fun

This time can be incredible – incredibly challenging, incredibly fun, incredibly difficult, and incredibly memorable. You can have it all this year – you just can’t usually have it all at the same time. Some moments will be hilarious, some inspirational, some challenging, some victorious, and some downright frustrating. Let those moments be what they are: learn from them, pick up the valuable lessons and wonderful memories and set down the rest. Never stop trying because failure is only a permanent state when you quit trying to grow and improve. Time spent working hard with a good attitude is never wasted.

As this school year picks up speed, try to keep these tips in mind. There exists immeasurable potential inside the members of HOSA-Future Health Professionals, and you are in a position to find that potential. The presence is what you make of it, and your future starts now!