Everyone says they would do it or that they would want to do it, if they only had the time. And sometimes time is something hard to come by. But ever heard of the saying, make time? I've been a victim of the no-time-for-volunteering syndrome myself. And then I decided to make the time.

Now, I came across volunteering a lot differently. I started as an internship through USF this Spring and decided to stay and volunteer after the internship ended. Basically, I got really lucky.

So, what about normal people who want to volunteer? Where would you find out how to volunteer?

Well, if you go to USF (or any college, for that matter), there is usually a website and an office that handles there sorts of things. USF's website is BullSync. For service it's easy: there's a tab on the top that says "Service Opportunities" and takes you to places that are in need of volunteers.

If you are not part of a college, type in "Places to Volunteer in [your city/area]" in Google. A lot of places will come up! It's just choosing a place that's the difficult part.

I would not dream of coming up with a list of "the best" places to volunteer in Tampa. Not only would that list be too long, and I would definitely miss places, I would not dream of putting one volunteering opportunity above others.

Find a place YOU care about.

Every place is special. Every place deserves people to volunteer at. And they also deserve people who will be passionate about volunteering there. Don't volunteer somewhere just because you need the hours or because you want a resume booster. Nothing is worse than a volunteer who is there for purely selfish reasons. Because a lot of times that means the volunteer isn't going to try their hardest or, at worst, even at all.

So, do a little (or a lot of) research. Find some place that you like, that you find interesting. Because this will make you want to try hard, want to help out even more.

You make a difference.

Whether it is sending emails or gardening or anything else that the place needs, you best believe you make a difference. Think about it this way: if you aren't there doing it, who would? In the non-profit world, the people who work for these places are already overworked. For a long time, I didn't see why I was needed. How exactly was my time typing names into an Excel sheet or making labels or sealing envelopes necessary? And then I looked at the bigger picture. My boss worked longer hours than I did. She constantly had more than one project she was working, plus at least five more lined up. If I wasn't there, if someone else wasn't there, she would have to do the five hours of work I had done.

You learn about yourself

Truly. Being around people who are passionate about helping others, who give their lives to it, gives you a new perspective on life. I know that I am not the same person I was at the beginning of this year. And I definitely contribute part of that to my volunteer work. Being around people who give their lives to help others is so inspiring. Also, depending on where you volunteer, you get to meet new people (aka get out of your comfort zone). You get learn about your community and other people who are in it that extends beyond your friend group.

Put it this way: the way a person grows is not by staying in the bubble that they've created for themselves. It's by stretching your boundaries and trying new things, meeting new people. Volunteering gives you this and so much more.

EVERYONE should volunteer!

We live in such a big world with so many people and some need help. I truly believe everyone should volunteer. I think that helping out the community you live in is something that is incredibly important.

And remember that whether you can only volunteer once a month or if you want to volunteer every day, your time matters. Find a place that you are passionate about and make the time to help them out. You will learn so much about yourself as well as the community you are helping. Because you are helping, no matter what you do.