By now, we’ve all settled into our routines for this
semester. We’ve adjusted to our new schedules, joined new clubs/activities, and maybe
even stepped up our responsibilities in organizations as board members. However,
some students may still be searching for additional activities, outlets for all the pent-up stress and energy, and (perhaps) methods of procrastination
besides scrolling through every social media feed to which you subscribe. If
you’re looking for any of these, consider volunteering. Most of us think
of volunteering as a requirement; something that we did in high school to pad
our resumes or get an easy credit. But if you find a cause or organization you’re passionate
about, volunteering can be a rewarding experience that may even help you
realize your dream career. Here's brief (and by no means exhaustive) list of some of the great benefits that come with becoming a volunteer.
Benefits of Volunteering:
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| See? Even Katniss does it! |
A chance to follow your passion and add meaning to your free time
Volunteering is a great way to get involved in something you've always been passionate about, but never knew how to express. Even if it's not directly related to your professional goals, a volunteer position in an organization that shares your values and ideals will have enormous benefits on your professional and personal life. Geena Chiumento, an old friend of mine who attends Simmons College in Boston, began volunteering this fall at The Women's Lunch Place, an organization that provides support services and nutritional meals for women experiencing homelessness, poverty, and other injustices. As she put it, "It's not always easy seeing these women in their current states, but serving them lunch allows me to put myself in their shoes. I think more about Boston's homeless population everyday now, and I don't think there is any better way to spend my free time."
Volunteering is a great way to get involved in something you've always been passionate about, but never knew how to express. Even if it's not directly related to your professional goals, a volunteer position in an organization that shares your values and ideals will have enormous benefits on your professional and personal life. Geena Chiumento, an old friend of mine who attends Simmons College in Boston, began volunteering this fall at The Women's Lunch Place, an organization that provides support services and nutritional meals for women experiencing homelessness, poverty, and other injustices. As she put it, "It's not always easy seeing these women in their current states, but serving them lunch allows me to put myself in their shoes. I think more about Boston's homeless population everyday now, and I don't think there is any better way to spend my free time."
Network and develop yourself professionally
You might not think of volunteering as a way to network with employers, but this is exactly the case. Volunteers work closely with professionals in a variety of fields, and often volunteer positions can lead to something more. Geena mentioned in our discussion that the WLP often hires former volunteers - "I think it's all about establishing connections and having long-term volunteer experience," she observed. In a great blog post published earlier this year, a Career Counselor at the University of Central Oklahoma explained how one of his students began volunteering at a nursing home after his suggestion, and ended up getting a job there!
You might not think of volunteering as a way to network with employers, but this is exactly the case. Volunteers work closely with professionals in a variety of fields, and often volunteer positions can lead to something more. Geena mentioned in our discussion that the WLP often hires former volunteers - "I think it's all about establishing connections and having long-term volunteer experience," she observed. In a great blog post published earlier this year, a Career Counselor at the University of Central Oklahoma explained how one of his students began volunteering at a nursing home after his suggestion, and ended up getting a job there!
Develop new skills
"Transferrable skills" is a big topic in career development, and employers are always interested in the skills a potential employee possesses. Volunteering is a great way to test your skills and learn new ones, and can make you not only a stronger candidate in an interview and on paper, but a more well-rounded person overall.
"Transferrable skills" is a big topic in career development, and employers are always interested in the skills a potential employee possesses. Volunteering is a great way to test your skills and learn new ones, and can make you not only a stronger candidate in an interview and on paper, but a more well-rounded person overall.
Do yourself a favor by doing others a favor
Plenty of us know the feeling of exhaustion after a long day of classes, meetings, and practices. All we want to do is put on some sweatpants, start up Netflix, and wait for our brains to turn into goo. But is this necessarily the healthiest way to live and/or relieve stress? A US News article examined the health benefits of volunteering, and found that no matter the reason for doing so (be it out of self-interest or full-blown altruism), volunteerism is correlated with higher self-esteem, happiness, greater longevity, and even better quality of life as an adult. A plethora of research has demonstrated that volunteering has tremendous health and wellness benefits throughout life. So, next time you're about to kill an entire season of Parks and Rec in one afternoon, think about what you could be doing instead--for yourself and for the community.
Now, you're hopefully thinking, "Wow, volunteering sounds great! ...But how do I get started?" Well, look around! Tufts offers many volunteer opportunities for students, from the Leonard Carmichael Society to volunteering at the Sharewood Clinic to the myriad opportunities offered through the Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service. If you want to pop the Tufts bubble and explore volunteer opportunities through other channels, the Internet is the ultimate resource. Search engines like Idealist.org and Opportunity Knocks are gateways to infinite opportunities for volunteering, in any field of interest. You have the resources at your disposal, and now that you have the knowledge, get out of bed and get involved!
Until next time,
Sean Boyden
Class of 2017
Plenty of us know the feeling of exhaustion after a long day of classes, meetings, and practices. All we want to do is put on some sweatpants, start up Netflix, and wait for our brains to turn into goo. But is this necessarily the healthiest way to live and/or relieve stress? A US News article examined the health benefits of volunteering, and found that no matter the reason for doing so (be it out of self-interest or full-blown altruism), volunteerism is correlated with higher self-esteem, happiness, greater longevity, and even better quality of life as an adult. A plethora of research has demonstrated that volunteering has tremendous health and wellness benefits throughout life. So, next time you're about to kill an entire season of Parks and Rec in one afternoon, think about what you could be doing instead--for yourself and for the community.
Now, you're hopefully thinking, "Wow, volunteering sounds great! ...But how do I get started?" Well, look around! Tufts offers many volunteer opportunities for students, from the Leonard Carmichael Society to volunteering at the Sharewood Clinic to the myriad opportunities offered through the Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service. If you want to pop the Tufts bubble and explore volunteer opportunities through other channels, the Internet is the ultimate resource. Search engines like Idealist.org and Opportunity Knocks are gateways to infinite opportunities for volunteering, in any field of interest. You have the resources at your disposal, and now that you have the knowledge, get out of bed and get involved!
Until next time,
Sean Boyden
Class of 2017
