When someone volunteers, it is not only to give back; it is also to learn or get something good out of it. This week was full of learning in both the classroom and outside of the classroom. In my first year seminar class, I learned that race, ethnicity and national origin are three different things and they have different meanings. They are a lot of things in someone's personality that other people cannot change. Different identities that people have made up who they are whether others like it or not. I found that interesting because I always thought that different identities that are in someone do not make up or sum up who he or she really is. People can be surprised about what they found out about themselves in life.

During this week, I learned that giving is good; however, not expecting in return is even better. When you do something for someone, you have to do it with all your heart. On Tuesday, we had Fresh check day where the wellness group offered a raffle for a free facial during finals. I was so amazed at the amount of people that actually signed up and they were so happy that we were giving them an opportunity to get a relieve during finals. I was so glad that I participated and I made people's day better but the volunteer work does not end there. On Thursday, we have Founder's day where the whole community put everything aside to help the community. We did a lot of things like care packages for soldiers, clean properties and the Glee club went to a health center called Bethany Health Center.

The glee club spent the whole day in company of all the sisters of Saint Joseph. As a member of the Glee club, I was so thrilled that I was part of something so amazing. We sang at mass and somewhere else for a different group of sisters and they were so happy that we visited them. They were impressed with our voices and we felt good that we took a day in the week that we put apart just to give back to the community. We also had lunch with them where we sat and chat with them to know more about each other's lives. One of the sisters that my roommate and I were talking to had seven sisters and four of them are nuns; I was so surprised. She also told me that at first she was not allowed to go home unless it was for a funeral, I felt sad because she lived without her family. She also made me laugh with her Ipad, she was having problems with her alarm clock so my friends and I fixed it for her. While we were eating she realized that I did not have any dessert so she went into her room and got me some chocolate, it was so sweet and I felt loved. I did not want to leave them because they made me feel so welcome and I felt like I was at my house with a family that loved me. Next year, I would love to do that again and do more during my college career because giving back feels good without expecting anything in return.