10 Benefits of Volunteering As A Student

Ever thought about volunteering as a student but always put it aside and thought you would get to it one day? You should actually know about the benefits of volunteering. Yes, there are many benefits that will definitely help you out in the long run! Today let's take a dive into a few benefits of volunteering as a student and give you the push you need to start!

What exactly is volunteering?

Before we get to all the benefits, it is best to cover all the basics. This one is for all the ones who have been living under a rock and have never heard about volunteering. According to the Top G, a.k.a Google, volunteering is "freely offer to do something." or "work for an organisation without being paid." Yeah, not being paid can be a bitter pill to swallow. It is basically like doing an unpaid internship. But as everyone says, there are benefits of doing an unpaid internship, and there are a few for volunteering as well. So let's look at them.

Meet new people

We all love meeting new people and making new friends unless you are an introvert (evergreen joke). There is a high chance for you to meet new people and learn about different cultures, traditions, languages, lifestyles, and more. You also never know that it can lead to some great career opportunities! Another plus is that everyone there is for the same reason as you, so you already share some common interests, and you might make a new friend.

If you don't know how to make a friend or struggle with it, our guide on how to make friends will help you find the friends you have been looking for!

Gain real experience

When you start looking for a job, many employers prefer to see experience more than grades; even if you have great grades, it would be very good if you could show experience as well. That is one reason volunteering as a student is so good; you are able to get the experience that you would only get once you start working in a proper job. When you volunteer as a student, you gain the high ground over others around you (just don't get your feet chopped off like Anakin) 

Improve your resume

As said above, you gain a competitive edge over others because you can add all the volunteering you did as a student to your resume and trust us, it makes a huge impact. Employers love it! The experience makes your resume shiny, and employers treat it like they found a rare card when they open a trading card pack! When you volunteer as a student, you are making sure you are opening some doors that could not have been opened before. If you have never made a resume, don't worry; our guide on making your first resume will help you make one of the best out there!

Broaden your perspective

Have you ever felt trapped with your own self and felt like you are heading to the dark side of being people who share the same perspective as you, whether it be political views or personal views? It is a pretty common thing to happen, but when you volunteer as a student, you can shake up the house by meeting new people who have different perspectives due to their own backgrounds. You get to learn new things and broaden your perspective by this, and working with people with different backgrounds has a positive impact on your professional skills as well!

Help you improve social skills

As a student ever felt like you can't talk to people properly and have trouble making small talk? Volunteering as a student will help you work on your social skills as you meet and work with people you never have before in your life. Striking up conversations will help you develop your skills as you talk with them, and if you feel like it is getting out of hand, you can just get to work as it won't look rude! 

Improves mental and physical health

Yes, as absurd as it sounds, volunteering as a student helps you improve your physical and mental health. We all know how bad a student's physical or mental health can get during those down bad days. Did you know? Volunteering has shown that it can help fight against the negative effects of anger, anxiety, and stress that can lead to the big sad (depression) and substance abuse. The biggest reason is as you help others, a part of you feels happy to see somebody else happy, and the realisation that you are bigger than yourself.

If you want to learn more about your mental health and how to take care of it, our blog on mental health will be the best read, as we will tell you about everything you need to know and how to take care of it.

Improves self-esteem

Ever felt like you were low and demotivated and just felt low on confidence? It is another common occurrence for students to have low self-esteem and confidence. Volunteering as a student might improve your self-esteem. Doing something you feel is worthwhile for people around you gives you a sense of accomplishment that may help you feel more fulfilled about your life and any future goals. 

Networking 

Networking is one of the most important fundamental skills any students need to learn. When you volunteer as a student, you learn how to network as you meet new people, and through you, they might be able to inspire other people they have met. As you network, you might inspire the right people, opening up some professional doors for you and providing you with opportunities that you might never come across again. 

Find new interests

As you start volunteering as a student, you start learning new things, and you might even come across something that piques your interest. It may be something you never thought you might even like in the first place. Just like Van Gogh, the guy started painting at the age of 27 without any prior formal training. Give it a shot; you never know, you might come across something that would change your life.

Have loads of fun

The basic benefit of doing volunteer work as a student is just fun! You meet new people and do something good for the community around you. You make new friends, and sometimes it might be a blast working when you meet someone who is like you and makes jokes that are your type. You should never think that it will be boring as you never know, it might be the best decision you have ever made.

These were all the basic benefits of volunteering as a student; you need to know to get the kick to get up and get to work! We hope you found the spark to start volunteering, and if you are looking for a job as a fresher, you can read our blog about job-hunting tips to help you get started.