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
16 Comments
Mateo
4/29/2024 01:40:45 pm
I find it so funny that you're so open about the fact that you would never do this by choice cause I find that really relatable, yet ironically, I've been on the same boat of not really wanting to volunteer for something then finding it really rewarding in the end... I think it's awesome you volunteered at augustine, and I love that you were able to hear some of the resident's stories!
Reply
Tyler
4/29/2024 01:48:48 pm
Volunteering at Augustine House was fulfilling and impactful. Your encouragement to others to volunteer is great, and your advice to stay positive is spot on. Thanks for sharing your experience -Tyler
Reply
Janvi
4/29/2024 01:48:56 pm
I loved it!! I liked how you were straight up honest about that it wasn’t the first thing you would have volunteered for, but in the end you got a memorable experience that you will never forget!
Reply
Logan
4/29/2024 01:49:55 pm
Leaving your comfort zone can be extremely intimidating and sometimes it just doesn't feel worth your time and sometimes its not worth it and you feel annoyed that you put all that effort into trying something new. But when you do find something new and enjoyable its amazing and can open so many new doors for you. This blog was great and I liked how you didn't pretend that working at the old folks home was somthing that you wanted to do but you learned to enjoy it
Reply
sarah
4/29/2024 01:50:06 pm
I think this is so cool! I agree it seems a little boring but honestly that is such a cool thing to volunteer for and gain experience in. I also think it's super cool that you learn things from the residents. I'm so glad you found fulfilling work.
Reply
alanna
4/29/2024 01:50:23 pm
I 100% agree that keeping an open mind is so important but also I love hearing stories of how you help within the community! I love taking up opportunities to volunteer and hope i can do it more in the future!
Reply
Melina Mohagheghi
4/29/2024 01:52:35 pm
I’m so happy for you to find a way to comfort yourself and find joy in what you do. I have never experienced working with seniors, but I feel like talking to them and hearing their stories might be a very interesting thing.
Reply
Sunsia
4/29/2024 01:53:44 pm
Honestly accepting reality and gaslighting urself might sound toxic but a very realistic way of life. Jokes aside im glad u used this unplanned opportunity to ur benefit and learn lessons that u cannot easily learn in school. I think im also gonna start acknowledging that most of what happens when im young will not ultimately affect my future.
Reply
Brody
4/29/2024 01:56:25 pm
That sounds like a really interesting experiance. I think that it is admirable that you volunteered even though you didn't want to and in the end found joy in what you did. Good job!
Reply
Cooper
4/29/2024 01:59:09 pm
This honestly makes me want to start volunteering. this story is so encouraging and has really made me think about stepping out of my comfort zone.
Reply
Merle
4/29/2024 02:02:46 pm
I'm glad you had a great experience and you learned a lot from it. I think especially doing something out of your comfort zone is important to develop and grow because otherwise you're not gonna find things out about yourself just how you found out you enjoy the music.
Reply
Jane
4/29/2024 02:03:11 pm
I liked how honest you were in your blog and it's so nice you found joy in what you do:)
Reply
Lianne
4/29/2024 02:06:21 pm
YES ROSETTA!
Reply
Jaden
4/29/2024 02:07:47 pm
I tried to be open minded to listening old musics recently which I've never wanted to hear. Thanks to my friends who told me to listen old musics so I can be introduced in new world. I learned how important to just try first and get out of comfort zone to find a whole new world.
Reply
Pedro
4/29/2024 02:13:40 pm
It is actually so cool how much you took from that experience. It must be really cool to volunteer to a cause and developing as a person, that is a thing that few experiences can be that rewarding
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
|