Volunteering always sounds good, but why should you prioritize it?
I know life is incredibly busy. Whether you are a kid just working to make it through high school or college or an adult finding your way through a job or balancing the crazy schedule of a family life, it always seems like there is just too much to do for you to stop and spend time doing something that you do not have to. But that is exactly why you SHOULD volunteer. Yes, volunteering looks good on a college application. Yes, it allows for you to help people, which is truly a wonderful thing and most definitely reason enough to do it. But it also gives you a space to take a piece of your time and dedicate it to doing something positive for the sole purpose of you wanting to. No matter what it is you choose to do, whether you help make care packages for those who need them, clear garbage from our beaches, roads, or parks, read to or teach children, or whatever else you choose to do, you are bound to help yourself by helping others. The people you meet and the good you do will teach you, and you may just find that volunteering will help you learn quite a bit about yourself. Personally, combining my love of music with volunteering allowed me to express myself in ways I never had before, and I learned more about who I am and who I want to be than I ever thought I was going to from helping others. Joining the Pathways Rock Band was one of the greatest decisions of my life, and I am so thankful that I get to spend my time there with such wonderful people. Give yourself that feeling.
In short, there is so much to learn in volunteering, so, if at all possible, give yourself an hour as soon as you can, find somewhere you can do some good, and try it.
