“If you wait until you can do everything for everybody, instead of something for somebody, you’ll end up not doing nothing for nobody. -Malcom Bane”
Something often overlooked in today’s society is our ability to give back. I think a lot of people, myself included, rationalize not giving back at certain points in your life because you’re not financially stable to do so. Many people place a monetary value on their potential to do good. This idea is often prominent during your college years because you don’t necessarily have the financial independence that you want in order to ‘properly’ give back.
However, I think the biggest advice I have for the younger generation is to take the time to give back. There are infinite things that you can do that do not involve any monetary donation on your part.
How?
- Volunteer at your local soup kitchen. You have the ability to not only help people in need, but you can also interact with some pretty amazing people.
- Become a member of an organization on campus. There is a plethora of organizations on college campuses that you can join that range from non-profit to volunteer based. This is not only an opportunity to give back, but you can meet amazing people and become more involved on your own campus.
- Hold a door for a stranger, smile at someone, or ask them how their day is going. You never know what someone is going through, so at the very minimum your small gesture of kindness can be what their day needed.
Why?
Giving back allows you to learn so much about yourself as a person, you can discover your passions, you can explore different levels of your emotions, and in most cases it can impact your life in an insurmountable way. When you help others you ultimately help yourself. You don’t have to do it everyday, but you do need to do it often. The truth of the matter is you don’t have to change the whole world to change someone’s world. The change that we want to help yield is not something that happens overnight, it takes many small steps by millions of people. Take a step today.