Why Community Service Is Important In College

By Chenise Johnson on June 1, 2015

The ultimate goal of anyone attending college most likely consists of wanting to have the best, authentic experience that they will remember forever! College is the time where you meet lifetime friends and even your husband or wife! Unfortunately, sometimes it can be easy to get caught up into the constant studying or stressing over grades, the frequent parties, and relationship drama that comes along with being in college. Community service is something that many people see as just something nice to do, but in college, it is vital to participate in serving your community because of the lasting effects that it has not only on your community but on you as a college student and person.

Community service is an action that allows you to learn, serve, and transform your life. All of these traits come in handy especially in life after college. It’s easy to learn about people experiencing homelessness or extreme cases of poverty in class and in books but when you actively get out there and are able to see firsthand how some people live right in your college community, you are able to learn more dynamically. Seeing various conditions for yourself also enhances your civic responsibility.

via / fsu.edu

My freshman year in college, I worked with low-income families in Savannah, Georgia. I was expecting just to see children not as privileged as myself but shockingly many of the kids were one step from being homeless. They didn’t have great relationships with their parents because their parents were always busy working trying to make ends meet. Serving the community in Savannah really opened my eyes and I felt a need to try to make a difference in any way possible. Now I am a part of mentor groups and I work heavily with children. To be aware and engaged in the world around you means to have a need to create a more just and humane society. Serving the community can ignite a passion in yourself that you had no idea was there.

Being more involved in your community allows you to see the issues that really matter and face them head on. I didn’t care enough about the many problems our society faces until I was able to see and experience them in person. You will also become an active voter because of your involvement in the community. Also, doing community work in your field of study makes you more attractive to potential employers. They love to see that you have actually experienced life outside of the classroom and have interacted with many people from all walks of life. Working in a real-life setting allows you to build skills that might not always be taught by your instructors or professors, having an edge on your competition in the workforce.

Moreover, it is also a great way to network! Through some of my first experiences serving the community through Florida State University, I instantly became exposed to numerous new relationships, opportunities, and better ties within the community. While performing community service, you will also feel a sense of pride and responsibility for what you have accomplished or will accomplish. There is no feeling better than looking back on what you have achieved with anything related to bettering your community and being able to say you were a part of it.

Being involved in your community can also change the way you view the world. I have known many college classmates that have been on the path of something but after volunteering in the community, they have realized that something else might be more important to them and they have followed that direction whole heartedly. For instance, a good friend of mine went from being a mechanical engineering major to studying childhood education after multiple visits to a local youth center mentoring underprivileged children. It is also important to be able to discuss and reflect on the work you complete in the community. Without doing this, then you might not be able to see the impact you are making no matter how minute it may seem. With volunteering, you are taking some of your time and energy to give back and help others.

via / fsu.edu

You could be using this time to go to the hottest parties or study for your challenging classes but instead you are being socially aware of your surroundings and lifting up your spirits and confidence. Without being involved in my community, performing acts of service, I would not have been able to realize my role and importance in this world. Whether you are helping your community with various things such as social justice, diversity, learning, unity, and the environment, the amount of skills and opportunities you build and create are endless. So many of my college friends, advisers, and adults always recommend doing community service throughout your life but definitely during your college career.

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