From August to December of 2023, every Sunday I would volunteer my time at a senior home for around 2 hours. And to be completely candid, this is something I would have never done on my own free will. This sounds terrible but I only started volunteering because it would make my BCIT application more competitive when it came time to apply. I knew I was going to learn a few things here and there from this experience but I would've never guessed just how much I was actually going to gain. Not only did I personally develop, but I did so while giving back to the community. My favourite part of volunteering was spending one-on-one time with the residents. Hearing their stories - which was always filled with wisdom and experience - helped shift my perspective on life. They would share stories of how they majorly screwed up back in their days but 99% of the time, they would conclude their tale with it never mattering in the end. With that in mind, I stopped caring so much about things. Of course, I was still responsible but for little things like other people’s opinions of me or embarrassing moments that happened in the past, I reduced the amount of thought I put into those types of things. And because of this, I feel less anxious and more mentally energetic because a big part of my brain isn't occupied on small things like that anymore. My main task every Sunday, though, was to help residents move to the music room where they enjoyed music with Shawn, who performed every week. Shawn would play music from the 50s and 60s because that's what the residents recognize. Music from those time frames meant a lot to them and hearing it brings them back fond memories. And I am a big fan of music, I absolutely love it, like I can’t go a day without listening to it but I’m not a fan of older music. I do like a couple of classic tunes here and there but overall, I’m just not a big fan of music from that time period. But included in my volunteer was to sit and enjoy the music with the residents. At first, I kept a closed mind and kept convincing myself it was boring because I’m not used to that type of music. But I told myself that this is something I’m going to have to experience every week for the next few months, I should start being more open minded about it. As the weeks went on, I found myself starting enjoying the songs and would even look forward to Shawn singing specific ones. In the end, I’m glad I kept an open mind because it made volunteering more enjoyable. I see myself using this skill a lot in the future and I truly believe that it could not only help me become a better person but also improve the way I live my life. In conclusion, I’m proud of myself for doing something so out of my comfort zone and I’m glad I did because not only was it personally fulfilling but I was also able to positively impact the residents at Augustine House. I really encourage anyone who has extra time to volunteer. It’s extremely satisfying to know that you’re giving back to the community and while also gaining something beneficial at the same time. And the secret is; to maintain an open mind and positive attitude because doing so will make the experience 10x more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Rosetta C
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