Throughout my time in college, I have had the opportunity to volunteer at several sites throughout my community, and have even been fortunate enough to earn course credit for some of these experiences. College can be a busy time, but there is always time to give back to the community. Here are my top five reasons for volunteering:

1. It's a lot of fun

One of the most enriching parts of volunteering is how much fun it really is. I currently volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club as well as a local children's hospital and much of my time is spent interacting with the kids at these sites. I love getting to help out in the art room at the Boys and Girls Club and playing with kids in the hospital playroom. While I do help out with additional work and projects, a lot of my time is spent just hanging out and getting to act like a kid again.

2. Give back without spending any $

College students are often on a tight budget and do not have a lot of extra money to donate to charities and organizations. Volunteering is a great way to help out the organization by donating your time, which can have an even greater impact than a lot of money.

3. You gain valuable experience

Volunteering has given me the opportunity to learn valuable skills I would not have learned elsewhere. At the hospital, I have to opportunity to interact with the patients and nurses, learning skills that will be useful for my future career in healthcare. Volunteering also looks great on resumes and is impressive to future employers.

5. It demonstrates initiative

Many people wonder how someone like myself can go to school full time, work one or more part-time jobs, and still find time to volunteer, but being able to balance all of that demonstrates initiative. Employers look to hire people who are hardworking and can handle whatever they are given, which are assets that can be gained through volunteering.

6. It feels amazing

As exhausting as it can sometimes be, volunteering is so rewarding. There are times when I go home completely drained, physically and emotionally, but it always feels amazing to know I'm making a difference.

For more information on how to volunteer in your local community visit the following sites:

http://www.volunteermatch.org/

https://www.unitedway.org/get-involved/volunteer

https://www.volunteer.gov/