Service has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. During high school, I participated in a myriad of nonprofit organizations and wanted to continue my volunteering work at Princeton.
To my surprise, I was immersed in service from the get-go. I spent a week in Philadelphia tackling hunger and homelessness through Princeton’s first-year orientation program, Community Action. I felt empowered and aware of my duty to give back to my community. Moreover, I got to form meaningful bonds with 13 other first-year students. I realized that Princeton’s informal motto, “In the Nation’s Service and the Service of Humanity,” is integral to the undergraduate experience. From the Pace Center for Civic Engagement to activist organizations, students can engage in service in many different ways.
Once classes started, I was looking for more opportunities to engage with service. I participated in the Brooklyn College Awareness Program during fall break. The purpose of the trip was to help low-income students apply to college. I was reminded of my college application process and how much I would have benefited from a program like this. Getting to help others achieve their dreams is a feeling that can’t be put into words.
I grew so fond of Brooklyn College Awareness that I became a trip leader. From picking the Princeton volunteers to organizing excursions in the city, it was a hectic week, to say the least. However, getting to see the smiles of all the students on the last day made it all worth it.
