Think back to high school — for some of us it was only a year ago, to others it’s a little longer. Remember when teachers and counselors constantly encouraged volunteer work. For many of us, it was a duty performed begrudgingly. While there’s no one who says doing community service in college is a must, the benefits of serving others and your community are well worth the effort that goes into it.
The Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) has been recruiting students to join their organizations and help to make a difference in both the Triangle and the world. While CARE provides opportunities for students to give back to the community, there are many organizations on campus whose sole purpose is to create service opportunities for students. They’re out there, and as students, we have to take advantage of them.
The common misconception about volunteers is that they are simply problem-solvers in the community, fixing homelessness, hunger or health issues. However, they should be viewed as people serving those who are experiencing these issues. Volunteers are not there to help someone lower than themselves, but rather serve someone on the same level as themselves. This type of service is best demonstrated by events like Service N.C. State.
These events and activities allow students to go out into the community and serve those in need. The way to get involved is easy. There are numerous worthy causes offering opportunities for students. For instance, CARE is devoted to issues such as AIDS, hunger and general poverty. If you have an interest, there’s a place for service. However, you must act on it.
N.C . State makes it so easy; the Center for Student Leadership, Ethics and Public Service provides a countless number of organizations devoted to service around N.C . State, and even more opportunities for one-timers. With such opportunities, you don’t need to have a long-term commitment to service; you can merely go once. Regardless, you will still be helping.
When such service was required in high school, many students found those activities as useless, or not worth their time, but the reality is this time is well spent. It not only has the potential to make a difference to a community or even a single person, but the feeling you have after performing an act of kindness truly benefits you.
Those same high school service clubs have extensions to the collegiate level, and the great thing is, it’s never too late to make a difference, If you’re a freshman, or even a graduate student, there are opportunities out there for you. You just have to take the first step.
