The reason adults sometimes say this current generation is self-absorbed is because there is a lack of volunteering. Not only does volunteering ground students, but it provides fulfillment and appreciation for one’s own actions that is more rewarding than any approval from a friend.

As a college student, there is extreme pressure from educators to be as academically competitive as possible in order to receive a stable job quickly. There is nothing wrong with being career-minded. Yet, for someone who is lost as to which career path they might choose, a brilliant way to find what fits you best is to volunteer.

I was initially interested in a career in medicine. However, after volunteering at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, I have decided to pursue a career in physical therapy.

Not only does volunteering open one’s mind to diverse career paths, it also opens one’s eyes to the rest of humanity. At Kessler, witnessing the healing of the sick slowly moved me more each day. The more informed people are of suffering the throughout the world, the more careful they will be about the choices they make in their own lives.

College students, like myself, are constantly looking for different clubs to join or jobs to take in order to fill up their time. With college comes freedom and with that freedom comes a vast array of choices. The choices one makes in college will define the rest of their lives because they are made while they are finding themselves.

Volunteering at an animal shelter was the most grueling job I ever had, but it was probably the most humbling. Doing hard manual labor, like cleaning cages for no money, is the most rewarding experience a young person can have. Working with animals made me feel as though I was really helping the whole of humanity because I was not just helping people. The gratitude animals have for love from humans is incomprehensible.

Another rewarding experience I have had as a volunteer was teaching English as a second language as part of an after school program for children in India. The children appreciated any effort I made to speak their language. They were eager to learn any amount of language that was taught to them. At the end of my trip to India I felt an extreme sense of satisfaction. Even if they only picked up a few English phrases, it still meant the world to them.

Most young adults want to spend their spare time joining organizations that will look impressive on a resume. While these useful ideas should be pursued, they should be expanded nonetheless. Lending a hand to others without asking for anything in return, feeds the soul and brightens your spirit and the rest of humanity.

– Anjali Ramchandani is a sophomore English major.