I think we can all agree that doing some community service is actually a really enjoyable activity. It’s so satisfying knowing that maybe you’ve saved a tree or two by recycling, or made someone’s day a little easier by volunteering your time. But with class, work, homework, and tons of other commitments, I personally find it really hard to fit in some time to do some good for others, and I’m guessing you probably feel the same. That’s why I’ve come up with some ways to be a do-gooder this semester; they’re easy, fun, don’t require any long term commitments, and actually make a difference!
1. DIY Recycled Crafts
Want a project that will help you unwind after a long week and help save the world at the same time? DIY Recycled crafts are your answer! While you can always throw stuff in the recycling bins in your dorm room, another fun way to help out Mother Earth is to turn some of those recyclables into crafts. Why not try making coasters out of old CDs, pencil holders out of milk jugs, or a planter out of an old soda bottle? Since these are mostly made from recycled materials you already have, they cost virtually nothing, so you’ll be saving some money as you save the environment! Plus this is the perfect excuse to spend your entire day putting glitter on stuff, which is always a good thing.
2. Donating Your Clothes
It’s time to say goodbye to that band t-shirt you don’t like anymore, that pair of clearance jeans that doesn’t fit but you bought anyway, and that really ugly dress your grandma got you for your birthday five years ago. Donating clothes to thrift stores like Goodwill or Savers’ is really beneficial because you’ll be reducing the amount of perfectly good clothes that waste away in landfills every year, and the money that people will spend on buying your old clothes goes to several different charities! While you’re at it, you can also donate a ton of other stuff like books, stuffed animals, even furniture.
So how can you make this fun? Just grab your roommate and go through your clothes together. You can laugh at each other’s goofy garments, trade clothes, and go to the thrift store together and after donating your stuff, find some ugly (but adorable) matching sweaters.
3. Actually using recycling and composting bins
Alright, I admit this one is probably the least fun on the list, but it is still something simple that can really make a difference. I understand that when you only have a very limited time span in between classes or work to eat lunch and it’s so convenient to just throw everything in the trash, but I highly recommend taking the extra thirty seconds it takes to separate your leftovers while you’re in The Hatch or The Procrastination Station into the trash, recycling, and compost bins. It’s a small thing but it really does add up. You can learn more about UMass’ composting efforts here, and their recycling efforts here!
4. Volunteering for a day
If you can’t make a full semester commitment to a volunteer project, don’t stress! Just pick one or two days of the semester when you’re free and find a service project to do that day. UMass actually makes finding these kinds of events super easy. They have a volunteer database where you can search for events based on a number of factors, including availability, organization, type of task, etc. You can also just attend an event run by a campus run service group. So pick a good day, a charity that interests you, a couple of your friends, and spend a day giving back to your community. It’ll be more fun and rewarding that just Netflix binging all day, I promise.
There you have it, Collegiettes! There are probably tons of other easy ways you can help the environment or your community; these are just four of my favorites! So grab some glitter and an old soda bottle, or a bag of your least worn clothes, or just your compostable paper plate at The Hatch, and be a do-gooder. You won’t regret it.