Taryn Keller
Contributing Writer for the Hiawatha World
Growing up, everyone tells you that the most important thing you should do is get involved in your school and do everything you can while you have the ability, otherwise you will regret not doing so when older.
While getting involved in school is important, the most important thing you will regret not doing is getting involved in your community. The reason you should get involved in your community is because it not only has positive impacts on your community but also your mental well-being.
Many people have the mindset that they do not need to get involved in their community because they do not plan on living in the same community when older. While this may seem true, your community still impacts you while you are still around. The main reasons you should get involved in your community are because it connects you to other people, it is good for your mind and body, it can advance your career and it can bring fulfillment to your life.
Getting involved can connect you to other people. WCSU.edu states that, “Unpaid volunteers are often the glue that holds a community together.”
Volunteering may not seem that important to the volunteer but to members of the community in need; it is the whole world. This means that if you choose to volunteer you have a better chance at building new relationships because it strengthens your ties between members of the community that may know someone with common interests as you. It also helps you get your name out there to develop new friendships. Not only does this increase your actual relationships, but it also increases your social skills benefiting you further in the future.
Getting involved in the community can increase your internal well-being. This means that when you volunteer you can see increases in your mind and body. This is because it can increase your self-confidence. Volunteering provides people with the feeling of accomplishment because you know you are doing good for someone else. This can lead to pride and identity development. One of the benefits that shocks people the most is that it can help with depression. WCSU.edu added, “A key risk factor for depression is social isolation.”
Volunteering surrounds you with other people from your community who will later be a part of your support system. Another crazy fact about becoming a volunteer is that it scientifically lowers the mortality rate compared to adults who do not volunteer.
Another benefit that is probably the most long-term is that it can advance your career. This is because volunteering can give you opportunities to undergo career experiences making you more suited for your future career. While undergoing these experiences you can also develop skills necessary for the job of your desire. Most importantly these people are the people that you will depend on when it comes to job references, so you may want to start on the good side.
Lastly, another benefit of getting involved is that it brings fun and fulfillment to your life. It allows you to explore passions and interests in your life while doing good for other people.
The trickiest part of becoming involved is having the time to do so. Whether you are busy with your day-to-day job or just do not have the motivation you can still take an hour out of your day to do good for your community. Taking the time now to do these things will only have a positive impact on your life in the future by setting you up for success.
