Today marks one of the last days of National Volunteer Week. Better than “Organize Your Files” Week or “Cleaning for a Reason” Week, Volunteer Week is a seven-day fiesta that celebrates all things volunteerism and goodwill. 

One event the University does is a recognition ceremony for star volunteers. I’ve had the privilege to learn more about these individuals through talking to some people in the Office of Volunteer Programs. The 12 individuals who have worked through different situations — from raking leaves for the elderly, to weekly working with various food banks.

In truth, they aren’t the only outstanding people. Many students I know volunteer. We’re a campus where many people think beyond the Quad and look at the ways to help out the city as a whole.

However, I am calling out those who don’t, of which I am one of the worst culprits: I haven’t volunteered since my junior year in high school. 

I’m one of those hyper-involved, always-moving types. I write for various publications, work for the Leadership Center, work for a publishing center and keep my grades up. I log a crazy amount of hours for the Illini Union Board. Occasionally, I sleep. So I’ve always justified not doing anything more because, well, I’m busy. The things I do benefit my campus community. Isn’t it enough?

Not really. I’m not going to devalue my accomplishments because they are things I’m extremely proud of, and I’m obviously a strong advocate for enhancing student life. But I still needed to branch out. I was getting slightly self-absorbed.

Cue my class Learning in Community, which I took for the semester. I looked at my track record for community service at the University (it was zero), and decided to give it a try.

Unfortunately, the only one I could take was the Boys & Girls Club section, which slightly dampened my idealized version of volunteering. I dreaded the idea of working with kids because I had visions of constantly getting kicked in the ankles. Let’s face it, I’m not one to win any Maternal Figure of the Year awards.

As I spent more time at the club, though, I began to feel happier about myself and my involvement. The kids have taught me a lot, especially on just being young again. I feel like I’m influencing someone by talking to them and making them feel important. And every Friday that I go, I don’t feel like I’m wasting my time.

Volunteering doesn’t just have to be something we do only to help out the community or to put on a resume or because our friends are doing it too. These are all good reasons, but there’s also the introspective reason as well: Volunteering teaches you more about yourself.

By volunteering, people may find an inner strength or talent they never had or decide they care even more about an issue.

For me, it was relearning all the values I held dear as a kid, like fairness and equality for all people. For others, it could be realizing their love for non-profit organizational work or writing grants. And that self-discovery, that piece of ourselves we all strive to find in college, makes reaching out to the community worth it.

Happy Volunteering Week, everyone. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to the club.

Tolu is a junior in Media.