'losing my first election' - 2nd UC PROMPT

This is for the second U.C. prompt!! And I would really REALLY appreciate suggestions to really improve this essay.

My heart was pounding as I chewed on my lip because my fingernails were no longer an option. I waited impatiently for my Associated Student Body advisor to finish announcing the other winners in the cabinet election. Finally, she said the words that I had waited months to hear, "Our 2011-2012 Vice-President is..." The words that followed were definitely not the words that I had anticipated to hear and needless to say, I had lost.

Since then, I have been an Associated Student Body member for three years now. I can honestly say those three years have shaped me to become the independent and driven person that I am today. I found the immense amount of work and pressure that goes along with A.S.B to somehow be rewarding. I took the criticism I faced as a young member, and used it to better myself and look for innovative ways to better the school's environment. Staying inside the gym to set up for the Homecoming dance until 2 a.m., memorizing lines to perform in front of the entire student body at rallies, and organizing huge events, were all factors in inspiring me to follow a career in Public Relations in the Communications field. After finding so much love and passion in a high school activity that was only supposed to impress admissions offices, it made losing the election, that much harder to accept my failure to be a part of the Associated Student Body cabinet.

A flashback of the year before haunted me as my junior year came to an end, and elections for the 2012-2013 cabinet approached. I knew in my gut that I would forever regret not running, so my campaign to become the 2012-2013 Senior Class President began. I had my work cut out for me, as my other two opponents were considered to be the "popular" students at my high school. Every day until the day of elections, I woke up early to tape up publicity posters and talked to students about the real impact I could make as the Senior Class President. As the days dwindled down and voting ended, I was back in the same room where my advisor had delivered the bad news, just a year ago. She started off in the same manner as I heard, "Our 2012-2013 Senior Class President is... Jessica Yoo!" I had won. It was my name that she had called. It was I that was finally going to have the opportunity to lead and inspire younger members, just like I was fortunate enough to experience. The struggle that I went through losing my first election, gave me the time that I needed to learn and become more secure in my role in A.S.B. As Senior Class President, my role has definitely evolved, but the dedication and work that I put into getting this position, is still the same and applies to different areas in my life because I know the possibilities with those two traits are endless.

Hello, Jessica)
. It would be better if you included the question for this essay, so I could see the context of the essay. And what's the word limit?

Your essay is quite OK, but I think you should elaboate more on your election campaign, maybe add some dialogue and other detail, make it more vivid.

Here are some of my suggestions: