Volunteering is a great way to get integrated into the University community while also serving others. Joining a service organization during my sophomore year was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my college career. I’ve had a range of experiences, from working with children to gutting houses after the flood. I’ve met and made friends with amazing people in the University and Baton Rouge community. Every student could benefit from volunteering both during college, and after graduation. Volunteering is about helping others, but it can also help you.
Campus life can be overwhelming as a freshman or transfer student if one doesn’t know anyone prior to arriving. Volunteering lets students get to know people quickly. I made some of my closest friendships through becoming active in a service organization. After doing events with the same people multiple times, it was easy to get to know each other. Any student, even seniors, who has difficulty meeting people should come to events. The relaxed, informal environment is perfect for socializing.
The most important benefit of volunteering is the experience, but it can also be helpful after graduating. Employers love to see leadership skills, and the service organizations on campus offer a lot of opportunities to take on important roles. Some volunteer opportunities can give students marketable job skills and experience related to their major. The primary focus of most students after graduation is employment, and that is understandable. However, volunteering doesn’t have to take time away from preparing for the job market and can actually be a huge help.
One of the biggest misconceptions about volunteering on campus is that it is time consuming. However, even the busiest students have a lot of options around campus that can fit into their tight schedules. Volunteer LSU, a popular service organization on campus, only requires its members to attend one service event a semester to remain active. Most service events are during Friday evenings or the weekend and usually only last until 2 to 3 pm. The University Food Pantry is located in the Student Union and runs with the help of volunteers. Students can easily complete these shifts in between classes.The University Food Pantry volunteer shifts are only 30 minutes. Most campus organizations are very flexible and try to have multiple events to fit everyone’s schedule.
College is probably the last time in most of our lives when volunteering will be made so easy and convenient for us. You get to be surrounded by your peers doing activities that are actually fun to participate in and improve the community. For many of us, it will be the last chance for years that we have to really see the power to positively impact the world around us. The community surrounding the University really needs help, and the University’s community involvement programs rely on the students to make their volunteer efforts a success. If you would like an opportunity to give back to the community and add to your college experience, become a volunteer. Find a cause or an event that you love and participate.
Osie Evans is a 20-year-old English junior from Natchitoches, Louisiana.