It was Friday night, we just got out for spring break, and I was shoving old t-shirts into a tiny duffle bag. As I looked down my packing list, I was to the point where it said: “old clothes you don’t mind getting paint on, or ruined." I was packing for my Alternate service experience. While some of my friends were going home, to the beach, or to Disney World-- I was about to get in a small van with people I didn’t know, and drive 7 hours to a small town in Tennessee I had never heard of-- and I was so excited! An Alternate Service Experience is a service program you go on through the school over a break: fall, break, or winter.
In my college career, I have been on a total of three Alternate Service Experiences, and I can honestly say that they’ve shaped who I am today. Everyone should go on an ASE and here's why.
1. You get so close to people in your group
A lot of times when you go on ASE’s you don’t know anyone in your group of participants. The only thing everyone has in common is that we all signed up for the same trip. By the end of the week, though, you usually consider these people your best friends and family. You’re around them 24/7 and you start to trust them as much as you trust some of your best friends in “real life.”
2. Getting to work and volunteer with fantastic people
You work with a community partner, which is normally a nonprofit. You get to work along side, watch and ask questions to people who do this job every day. It helps you get a new perspective on their lives, get to know them as people, and have a whole new appreciation for what they do.
3. You get first-hand experience
If this is a field you're thinking about going into, you get amazing first-hand experience with the job. There are ASE programs for almost every job type imaginable. There are programs that involve working with an animal, orphanages, homeless shelters, the environment, and much, much more. You'll be working along side people who do this every day, that will answer your questions, and provide you with tasks that will give you an idea of what this job is really like.
4. You learn how to be flexible
Most the time on these programs, you work with an already established non-profit. So they already have full-time employees that do the day-to-day tasks. Although you will probably do a lot of the day-to-day task or, at least, observe them, the jobs your group usually do are the odd jobs they don’t normally have time to get done. So every day it will be something new, and usually, something you don’t expect it will be-- just go with it! No matter what, it will be rewarding work!
5. Discovering that you’re stronger than you think
Whether it’s emotionally or physically. Sometimes you volunteer at places where you are doing more manual labor than you’re used to. At first, it’s going to be hard, but then you’re going to realize that you a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. Other times you see a lot of difficult things that you're not used to seeing. You open your eyes to people who's lives have not been as fortunate or as easy as yours-- and that can be hard to take in. Overall this week will test your emotional and physical strength, but you'll be so glad it did.
6. You get a new perspective on other people's lives
You work with a community partner, and meet the other employees who do this work you every day-- you’re only doing it for a week. Sometimes it inspires you and makes you realize that it might be something you want to do as a career. Other times, you’re going to see a lot of really hard things, whether it involves humans, animals or the environment, and it’s going hit you emotionally. You realize that they face completely different struggles than you, and you gain a new appreciation and perspective.
7. You get out of your comfort zone
There will be at least one aspect of these programs that will be something you’re not used to, or uncomfortable with. It may be scary for you to go on a program with people you don't know, or to a place you've never been, or do something you've never done before. Though some aspect of these programs might scare you or make you uncomfortable, you're eventually going to face it at some point through out the week. Once you face it you will most likely wonder why you were even nervous at all. You will feel your comfort zone get bigger and you will grow as a person.
8. You learn to be thankful
At Appalachian state, and most other schools who do ASE’s, the whole week we live simple, keep and low carbon foot print, usually sleep on the floor in sleeping bags and our budget is at poverty level. Basically, what all that means is: we use reusable Tupperware and utensils to eat off of, try not to waste food, leave no trash when we’re on the work site or where we’re staying, and live off of a budget of $6 a day per person. This is definitely a change from my cushy meal plan, dorm room lifestyle. You definitely become more thankful for the “little things.”
9. It changes you…for the better
I’ve known people who’ve changed majors after these trips, people who’ve switched to a vegetarian lifestyle, gained a new perspective on life, or who gained new best friends. These trips are magical and make a life long impact.
