HC

Volunteering is almost a necessity for any college student.  Whether it is for an internship, a resume booster, or just to get involved in the community beyond campus, volunteering is a common thread among students.  While there may be the small minority of people who find volunteering to be a drag, but studies show that it drastically improves a person’s state of mental health.

Being in a good state of mental health does not require everything in your life being perfect; it involves a certain level of contentedness with your surroundings and the capability to handle stress well.  Mentally and emotionally healthy people are confident and feel good about themselves and their lives.  Volunteering causes people to achieve this because helping others makes people feel good about themselves.  It is considered a “win-win” activity, because making other people happy is a rewarding experience that, in turn, makes the volunteer happy.

Aside from being a positive experience from a mental and emotional standpoint, volunteering benefits people, particularly college students, in other ways.  For example, being involved on campus and around the community widens one’s social network.  This is beneficial for college students who thrive off making relationships.  Volunteering can also be a positive learning experience, as it tends to bring new perspective into the life of the volunteer.

College can be a stressful and overwhelming time, and students often feel that they do not have enough time to get involved.  However, learning more about opportunities in one’s community is the first step to a happier, more rewarding lifestyle.