I always knew that I loved giving back and participating in service, but I didn’t know how I would follow through with my passion in college. In high school, I participated in service trips to Fiji and India, which only enhanced my knowledge and passion for other cultures and service. Walking through the club fair, Habitat for Humanity’s table caught my eye, and I decided to sign up spontaneously.
I was never involved with Habitat for Humanity before BC, and as I walked into the first club meeting, I had no idea what to expect. The board members explained the vision of the organization, which is “A world where everyone has a decent place to live,” (as stated on their website). Immediately, I felt that attraction that I have felt during my summer trips in previous years. I signed up for a build that Saturday, pushing myself to new limits, even though I did not expect to be one of ten lucky members to be chosen.
When I got the email saying that I was chosen for the build, I was ecstatic, but also a little nervous. Not knowing at all what to expect, our small group left campus and drove twenty minutes to the town of Dorchester, where we met the site manager. The house we were working on was already completed, but we helped with the interior by sanding, priming, and caulking the bare surfaces. The day was filled with laughs as I got to know my fellow peers while fulfilling meaningful work.
As I returned back to my dorm after a long, but rewarding day, I couldn’t help but to feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and gratitude. It was an extremely humbling experience to help someone who is less fortunate than I. I am so thankful to be able to attend such an amazing university like Boston College and appreciate all of the opportunities that arise. My advice would be to try everything you think you may like, because not even a month into my freshman year, I have already had such an impactful and positive experience. I hope everyone considers joining Habitat for Humanity or a similar club to give back to our wonderful city!
Sources
http://www.habitat.org/sites/all/modules/features/habitat_metatags/image…
http://www.habitatboston.org/about_us.html#description
http://img2-3.timeinc.net/people/i/2014/sandbox/news/140310/habitat-huma…