Service Hours (and why you might be doing them wrong)
To many at Logos, service hours are a major inconvenience. "What's with having to do community work for 20 hours every year for four years just to graduate?" That's 80 hours you could spend going out with friends, gaming, or doing nothing. Instead, that's an extra 80 hours of burden on your shoulders.
Amidst the growing discontent amongst the student body regarding mandatory community service and the several incidents involving sketchy sources of service hours, it's easy to forget why the service hours are a thing in the first place.
Who really benefits from service hours? You.
Service hours are meant to be an incentive for students to be actively involved in their communities. While there are many benefits, the most important one is that it provides work experience, which you can add to your resume. This is super important because, in addition to making you a more well-rounded individual, it also strengthens your college applications. Many universities have a holistic approach in selecting their incoming freshmen, and many like to see applicants who were involved in things outside the academic realm.
Additionally, as Mrs. Nelson says, "anything done is an act of service, having to do the mundane and common is a part of any life and any job. God even calls us to look at the common, the mundane, as holy or set apart for Him. If we are sacrificing our lives for the building up of others and our communities, how much better everyone will be, even when not seen and unnoticed. It is easy to forget. When we serve someone a meal who is hungry, or smile and talk with an orphan, or listen to the elderly tell of their life stories that we may learn from them, we do it to Jesus."
Students are meant to benefit from service hours, but unfortunately, not all do. While babysitting, cleaning up, ushering, and being MUN admins, are all good tasks, they shouldn't form the main bulk of your service hours. Admittedly, easy tasks can add up to a solid 80 hours, and the help they provide is very much appreciated. Think of it this way, though -- if it's 80 hours you could spend going out with friends, gaming, or doing literally anything else, wouldn't it be a lot more logical to fill the required 80 hours with something you would benefit more from?
For instance, I spent a part of my summer doing translating work for a local broadcasting company. This deepened my interest in journalism, as I learned what good articles looked like and how they can shape one's way of thinking. This eventually led to the establishment of Logos's very own Journalism Club. A close friend of mine spent their summer teaching pre-calculus at STEM Cambodia and interning at the National Museum, doing conservation work. Both of our experiences ultimately gave us something to write about in our college applications. Both of our experiences also strengthen our resume and understanding of our respective fields (marketing for mine, science and history/conservation for theirs), which lends us more credibility when applying for internships after we graduate.
On the importance of service hours, Mrs. Nelson reminds students that "you are gaining life and work skills every day when you organize, take leadership, network, manage, pay attention to detail, do dishes, cook, clean, think of others around you, provide customer service, edit writing, follow a checklist, correspond, show up, put away your cellphone, engage with those different than yourself... service is a mutual benefit -- a community benefit. You will be changed in the process. You will become more relational, dependable, flexible, aware, and responsible. Your world will get bigger as you shake hands, build relationships with others, and you are held accountable to it as others begin to rely on you to be there."
Of course, it is difficult to find service hour opportunities that relate directly to your field of interest. However, that shouldn't discourage you from not looking for them. Not all good things come easily, and service hours are no exception.
With that being said, here are a few resources in resource profiling:
I know it's easier said than done. I've been where you are. I've felt your struggle. #solidarity Many organizations don't need volunteers, many institutions require work experience, and many opportunities are unavailable due to labor laws. However, that shouldn't stop you from at least looking for them.
If you have specific career aspirations that would be of interest for service hours, please find Mrs. Nelson!