Why I'm one of the only people at Transy awake at 9:00am on Saturdays:

When you’re in college, it’s easy to get caught up in studies and campus life and lose sight of the greater community. During my first year of college, I volunteered here and there, but definitely not like I normally would; the transition into university life hit me hard and I became too wrapped up in trying to maintain my grades for my scholarship and developing new friendships. Not to say those things aren’t super important, but you have more free time in college than you may think, making it an optimal time to donate some of your talents to those in the community that need it.

Going through that rocky first year of college developed my time management skills, so this year I have been able to take on several new commitments, including regular community service. At the beginning of the year, I heard some of my sorority sisters talking about the fulfillment they got from becoming a weekly volunteer tutor at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning, and I absolutely jumped at the opportunity! It combined two of my biggest passions—education and literacy. To think that I would get to teach a young student how to read and write, and how to actually enjoy it made my heart flutter, so I walked (yes! It’s within walking distance!) right over to the Carnegie Center, signed some papers, went through a 30 minute talk/training/building tour and waited eagerly for my background check to go through. About three weeks later, after the arrival of my background check, the Volunteer Coordinator contacted me with the name of my student and said that I could start that Saturday!

While it’s sometimes hard to roll myself out of bed at 9:00am every Saturday morning, hearing my student say “Can we do that again next week?” or “I had fun,” or best of all “I GET IT NOW!” would make me consider getting up at even 6:00am—no, 5:00am—and staying forever!

In college, there are exciting dance parties, there are invigorating plays, there are action-packed sporting events, but knowing that I sacrifice a little of my free time to make just a small difference in this kid’s life and learning ability in a measly little hour is one of the highlights of my week every week, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.