The holiday season is arriving! The holiday spirit means people are eager to give back to their communities. The holidays are the most popular time of the year for people to take advantage of volunteering opportunities. I know I am more likely to take advantage of the options because I feel inspired by the holiday cheer. Personally, I tend to donate to fundraisers, volunteer at animal shelters and put together christmas gifts for children in foster homes. During the holiday season, I have noticed people put great effort and pride into their volunteering experiences. Ever notice that those feelings fade after the holidays pass? Why does the holiday season inspire people to give back over any other time of the year? Why do the volunteering experiences come to an end once the season passes? I do not have an answer for that, but I think it goes without saying that this needs to change. Think of the community around you, how little gestures could help grow your overall community. If you think about it, volunteering is sort of a selfish way of improving your surroundings. So let’s talk about opportunities for volunteering in your community!
A simple Google search gives you plenty of ideas to jump on with different time commitments. College campuses offer many different choices for students they often do not take advantage of. If you attend a large university like I do, I found there to be a plethora of opportunities simply by looking on the school’s website! My university also lists opportunities for the holiday season specifically as well as opportunities you can take advantage of at any time. For fellow Stony Brook students I have provided a link below to the Stony Brook University volunteer opportunities site:
In undergrad I participated in community service throughout the year with different societies and organizations I was part of. I have realized as a graduate student, that giving back to the community comes to an end because graduate students are cut out of most clubs and organizations on campus. Most campuses are geared towards their undergraduate students. Graduate students are left to find opportunities in our communities in other ways. I looked for ways to get involved when I first moved for my PhD. I searched for clubs and organizations similar to what participated in during undergrad. To my surprise, there were only a handful of clubs and organizations for graduate students. Most are major specific and professional development oriented. I was discouraged about the ability to participate in volunteer opportunities through campus connections. At my university, there are no graduate sororities/fraternities or leisure clubs. Some of the clubs and organizations are open to everyone such as intramural sports, but again, athletics may not interest all and tend not to do group activities outside of the selected sport. Integrating graduate students into campus culture to have opportunities for community involvement will absolutely be something I look into further.
The goal of my article is to encourage participation of students to take advantage of volunteering opportunities your campus and community offer. Take the time to learn about local events such as 5K fundraising events and animal shelter opportunities (they are also in need of donations). Little gestures go a long way. Take advantage of the holiday season opportunities but consider extending your gestures throughout the year. Enjoy the time with your family and have a happy and safe holiday season!