Volunteering is proven to be a healthy way to spend your time. Students can easily gain emotional and physical benefits by helping others, but the process of finding all of the information for a suitable volunteering opportunity can sometimes be a hassle. NC State should centralize all of the opportunities available for students and include all of the required information to make this process efficient and effortless.
For students, time is valuable, and because of this, every opportunity to make things easier and save time is welcome to them. A server that would eliminate the time spent researching potential volunteering opportunities would be a valuable addition to the tools provided to NC State students.
In organizations such as Women in Science & Engineering, or WISE, volunteering is mandatory. Students need to attend specific types of events, which includes a community service event. Providing a venue for students from WISE and other organizations could aid them in their required community service and make the process as easy and possible.
Volunteering can also lead to new connections with those in your community, the possibility of life-long friendships and an overall better knowledge of those in your community. Volunteering pushes you to work with others for a common goal, something that can help while making friends. When you meet others while volunteering, they are often like-minded people with a passion for helping others.
Beside the physical benefits of community and friendship, there are a myriad of mental advantages as well. Volunteering reduces stress, provides a sense of purpose, and reduces your risk of depression. It keeps you both physically and mentally active.
College students typically have busy lives and schedules. Full time students usually take upwards of twelve credit hours per semester, which requires a significant amount of time for studying, reading, and work. If volunteering is more frustrating than rewarding, students won’t do it. By making the process of finding information easier, it will encourage more students to volunteer since it is worth their time.
There are currently a few places where students can find volunteering opportunities, but most are lacking in some respect. Some don’t provide all relevant information, others lack variation in service opportunities, and all are separated for each organization. If these lists were combined, it would provide one place for all volunteer opportunities, making it easier than searching through each organization.
Ideally, this centralized location for verified volunteering opportunities could expand nationwide after being introduced to NC State campus. High school students, those looking to complete mandatory community service, retirees and college students nationwide could all benefit from this centralized list.
Volunteering betters the community and students’ mental, emotional and physical health. It is currently difficult to find all of the options out there without spending a significant amount of time researching the opportunities available. NC State should encourage volunteering by making a centralized source of information for all of its departments and organizations to make the process more efficient and welcoming.
