Show Up
Very often, when we meet with students to discuss their path to college, we land on the topic of community service. To begin with, everyone should do some volunteering in their community: this is true for adults and students alike. Volunteering enriches your life and the lives of those you serve, and it connects you to your community. In terms of college applications, it shows colleges a side of your personality they may not otherwise see. How you spend your time tells schools about the issues you care about: your passions and your commitment to improving the lives of others.
Once you are ready to start exploring community service, here are some things to keep in mind:
Many of our students are incredibly involved in school activities, which can include volunteering. This is wonderful as it helps students bond with peers while serving a community. In addition, we do recommend volunteering outside of school.
When exploring volunteer opportunities, an important consideration is fit. Start by brainstorming things you feel passionately about. This can be talents you have, needs you notice in the community or simply things you like and have an interest in. Having a strong desire to do the work is going to make it easy to carve out the time. Similarly, location is a factor: convenience is important. Make it logistically feasible by finding something near to home or school/work. Houses of worship in your community can often be avenues of finding wonderful programs.
Other factors include consistency and structure. In terms of consistency, rather than jumping from program to program, find one that speaks to you. Becoming a greater part of any community will be more rewarding for you! Likewise, we recommend volunteering on a regular basis: designate a week, day and time. Volunteer a minimum of once per month so that you can really feel connected to the work and the people. In terms of structure, organizations that have a strong mission will offer the volunteer opportunities for true impact. Keep in mind, the most important thing is to help move the work along. When you work at a food pantry you will quickly learn that someone has to break down the cardboard boxes. These unseen, mundane tasks are critical to fulfilling any organization’s goals.
Whether you are volunteering with the elderly or young kids, preparing and delivering meals, or improving our environment, the important thing is that you care and show up. As always, let us know if we can help!