Start Volunteering: A Recipe for Success
When we think of college, we think of studying, making new friends, going to parties and praying we can wing that exam at 8 am on Monday morning. We rarely think of volunteering and the huge advantage it has on our futures and the communities we live in. I hear a lot of excuses about volunteering; I don't have the time, I have to study, I don't know where to volunteer and on and on. I would be lying if I didn't say that I had more than a few of those thoughts before I took a leap of faith and decided to take advantage of the opportunities in my community. I feel I am obligated to share my experiences and the many reasons why it is so very important to start volunteering.
First, have you ever heard people talk about networking and how any job you ever get is because of the people you know? Let me tell you, that is the hard truth. I don't care what degree you have or what professional career you will have, it will all come down to the people that you met and the connections that you made in your communities prior to becoming a professional. That being said that is the first reason to start volunteering in your community. Get to know people in your future professional world, be known, be seen and make sure that if not all, most of it is positive!
Second, I know volunteering can sound drab, you're working but you're not getting paid to do work with knowledge that you've gained through a pricey college education. Hold that thought, sure you might volunteer your time for a couple of semesters but one day you could get employed at that very place. Keep your future in mind and try to get through the less glamorous times of college and think about what could come from all your dedication and hard work. If there is one thing in this world that I know to be true, it is that hard work really does pay off and people notice when you’re doing your best.
Third, have you ever read a job application and seen that really fun word that we all love so much ….EXPERIENCE. Trust me we've all been there, thinking how am I supposed to have 3-5 years of experience when I’ve been in college for 4 years, trying to work any job possible. Who has time for that? We all do, if you can start when you're in your first couple of semesters volunteering for 2 hours every week, that will add up by the time you graduate. The experience most of us need for our sought after post graduate jobs are experiences we won’t get paid for while we’re in college. Decide where you want to work and what job you want and go volunteer for those places and Bingo- you've got experience.
Fourth and most important, ever think about bettering the community you live in? We live in a beautiful place with wonderful people (for the most part) but some of those wonderful people need help from organizations that run solely on volunteers. Sometimes we need to take a step back from our busy lives and realize how fortunate we are and how easy it is to lend a hand to others. Look around you, what matters most to you and how can you make a difference? Now reach out to the places you feel could use your time and you’ll be amazed at how grateful and appreciative people are. They're grateful that you took time out of your busy day to do something that helped or impacted the life of another. Get this, you might even really enjoy it! I really love volunteering there isn't a better feeling in the world than being completely selfless, meeting new people and sharing new experiences!
Get out there, volunteer, help your future self, get a head start. Help the community and the people in it, be selfless and learn a new skill. Share new experiences with people you would have never known and maybe even find some lifelong friends, employees or colleagues.
