At some point or another, we have all been victims to the lecture that preaches about the importance of volunteering. We are told time and time again that it is vital to give back to our community and that providing even a little bit of help can make a difference. By now, most of us have heeded the advice and done some sort of community service. But chances are the motives have been to spice up a resume or check off a requirement for a club membership. However, I feel that doing community service out of necessity is not enough. People need to start putting more time and passion into their volunteer efforts.

We are all fortunate enough to attend a prestigious university and have the accessibility to some amazing resources. Despite our busy schedules, we can all afford to spend more than a couple hours every few months donating our time. It is great to offer any amount of help, but those little snippets of effort don’t leave as big of an impact — and I say this out of experience.

For several years, I have participated in many one-time volunteer opportunities such as working with Feed My Starving Children, the Salvation Army, cleaning up local streets, and attending beach sweeps in Chicago. At the time, these were all respectable acts of service and I had helped out some organization in some way. But at the end of the day, how far did my efforts really go? Sure, I was able to make a street cleaner — that is until someone would flick a cigarette butt at the curb. Sure, I collected several pounds worth of change for a charity, but it probably equated to a whopping $5.

Many students fall prey to this kind of volunteer work as well. For instance, I know many of us participated in iHelp during the fall semester, which paired groups with a service project in the area. It is an overall fantastic event that brings a lot of people into action, but how long did the impact of one day worth of hard work last? Until iHelp and other events like this amp up participation time to extend beyond a single day, they will continue to lack the full effects of giving back.

A few years ago, I decided to donate time every week to a group that I find fun, hilarious, and engaging — the elderly. I found my niche volunteering at Sunrise Senior Living because it catered to my interests. While some people are young and vivacious at heart, deep down I am an old, cranky woman. And because of that, I looked forward to my weekly visits. Because of the hundred-plus hours I spent there for a year, I got to know the fiery personalities of Phyllis, Hesh, Liz, Dolly, Art, and several other residents who had the greatest names ever. Our interactions were engaging and enlightening and I always left feeling better about my day than when I walked in. By bringing excitement each week through bingo games free to play, and being someone for residents to chat with, I was able to leave something behind that a few hours of service couldn’t accomplish.

My latest involvement with volunteer work was my trip to New Orleans through University Housing’s Alternative Spring Break. Not only did I experience so much new culture, but I was able to take the time I had off of school and put it towards directly impacting someone’s life. While it was not a long-term project, the passion and motivation I felt for this particular act of service is what puts it above other efforts. This week-long trip included eight-hour days of painting a house and building a fence. The homeowner’s story was tragic and inspiring, and it made the sweat, sunburn, and exhaustion so worth it. We were even able to meet her and really put a face onto the hard work we had done all week. By participating in something I really cared about, it made a bigger impression than collecting change for some nameless cause. Through this trip, I met 30 of the finest people at the University, and I left feeling humbled by my experiences.

By sharing my own volunteer involvements, I want to emphasize how I think that many people try and get away with mediocre service with temporary positive effects. But when we are at an age where we have so much energy, vigor and opportunity, we should really be more generous in using our time and capabilities to do something greater. Do something you feel passionate about. Do something that makes you excited to help out. Do something that brings a tear to your eye. While doing something is better than nothing, care about your cause and do more.

Nicki is a sophomore in Media. She can be reached at [email protected].