Nicole Artzer '94 compared her year at the head of the Student Assembly to riding a roller coaster - each time the Assembly looked like it was heading up, it was only to come to a sickening fall.
Sitting on the floor of her bedroom, with her teddy bears watching silently from her bed, Artzer explained the ups and downs of the past year between bites of her "healthy choice" chicken sandwich with cheese and pickles.
"It's ironic because I was having these dreams last summer as being heralded as the person who brought Student Assembly back to the middle," Artzer said.
"But after this year, Student Assembly is just so far back to the right that it's like having one foot on the banana peel," she said.
The roller coaster ride began with a jolt, when the constitutionality of her executive appointments was questioned in the first general Assembly meeting of the year, and nearly ended with a big fall, when members of the Executive Committee attempted to impeach her last term.
And throughout the rocky presidential ride, Artzer's had to squabble with Reform SA!, the conservative bloc of students that held 15 of the Assembly's 21 at-large seats.
But somehow it all stayed on track.
The one thing Artzer singled out as keeping the Assembly on course, even at times when it seemed out of control, was accountability.
She said the ability of the Assembly to assume responsibility for its actions enabled the body to continue moving forward despite the turmoil.
"I think the things that should always go on in student government are representation, legitimacy and accountability, she said. "And while we may not have achieved the level of legitimacy that I personally respect, and that I think students deserve, there was accountability, no matter what it was."
Artzer said maintaining a separate identity from her role as president worked as an advantage for her during the year.
"I know that in the past, presidents have had a lot of friends in the Assembly and I admire that and it sounds like a lot of fun," she said. "But I think in this year's case it's been good that it has been a separate thing for me because my friends have been really supportive."
Between playing squash, studying and running the Assembly, Artzer said she had little time to for other projects. A creative writing major, Artzer abandoned her plans to become a Senior Fellow and write a novel about her family.
"I think that shows a lot about the [loss of] academic possibilities when you've got this kind of job to do ... there is a lot of responsibility that translates into a lot of time," Artzer said.
Artzer said her Studio Art minor has allowed her to combine academics with a relaxing hobby. The Nicole Artzer original still-life painting, which hangs over her bed, is testimony to her talent.
Although Artzer's administration has been marred by political infighting, she said the achievements far outweighed the difficulties at times.
"It was a difficult year considering some of the people who were involved," she said. "But I can't say that I haven't been really, really proud of Student Assembly when things have been done."
When her presidential ride finishes this June, Artzer thinks she might head to New York to try to break into advertising.
Asked if she wanted to go on the ride again Artzer replied, "What - knowing what I know now?"
But, after a long pause, she said, "Yes."
"I mean, I was in nine different classes this year, and my professors will probably read this but I learned more in Student Assembly this year than I did in all those classes," she said. "It was definitely an experience."
