Hobby or Volunteering

[Ambitious Orange]

I’ve always loved to bake and being home with the pandemic I was making more than my friends and family could possibly eat so I started bringing cupcakes for the staff on the COVID units at local hospitals. My mom mentioned that this might count as volunteering as I’ve created my own branding for the initiative, but I don’t know. It kinda feels like a stretch to me.

I have one more year of undergrad after this year and I plan on taking a gap year. I have 150 hours of non-clinical volunteering already. I also have 300 hours from high school that I might put on there because I might continue volunteering there during my gap year.

What do y’all think? Should I count it as a hobby or volunteer work?

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[Moko]

I’ve always loved to bake and being home with the pandemic I was making more than my friends and family could possibly eat so I started bringing cupcakes for the staff on the COVID units at local hospitals. My mom mentioned that this might count as volunteering as I’ve created my own branding for the initiative, but I don’t know. It kinda feels like a stretch to me.

I have one more year of undergrad after this year and I plan on taking a gap year. I have 150 hours of non-clinical volunteering already. I also have 300 hours from high school that I might put on there because I might continue volunteering there during my gap year.

What do y’all think? Should I count it as a hobby or volunteer work?

Hobby. You can list your donations to the hospital staff in the activity's description. Just my thoughts.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Probably a hobby, but this should be one of the hobbies that "looks better" on your application.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[Goro]

Very nice hobby

 

[LizzyM]

Agree. Hobby and the Covid ward angle and branding is a nice extra.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If you work with Jose Andres and his World Central Kitchen on the Ukrainian border serving soup today, then you are volunteering. Hope this helps as a comparison point. I don't know how far you organized that effort you describe.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2022/02/28/jose-andres-ukraine-world-central-kitchen

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

Emphasize the branding and other organization aspects of this as well as the baking. Most people would be incapable of coordinating this endeavor, and most people are crappy bakers on top of that. I would go into detail and use quantities to describe the scale where applicable. This is an impressive activity. Unfortunately there's a tendency in some spaces to devalue work that's viewed as an extension of domestic skills. So make sure people reading your app know how much planning and effort goes into the logistics of your craft; cycling through multiple batches efficiently, transportation, delivery and distribution takes a very keen approach, especially if you're the only person running this operation.

 

[Ambitious Orange]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! That’s what I was leaning towards, but didn’t want to miss an opportunity to add extra volunteer hours if others would view it as that.

Emphasize the branding and other organization aspects of this as well as the baking. Most people would be incapable of coordinating this endeavor, and most people are crappy bakers on top of that. I would go into detail and use quantities to describe the scale where applicable. This is an impressive activity. Unfortunately there's a tendency in some spaces to devalue work that's viewed as an extension of domestic skills. So make sure people reading your app know how much planning and effort goes into the logistics of your craft; cycling through multiple batches efficiently, transportation, delivery and distribution takes a very keen approach, especially if you're the only person running this operation.

Thanks for the amazing advice! That is definitely something I will keep in mind when it comes time for me to apply.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

It's not really volunteer hours so much IMO but it can definitely fall as entrepreneurship/leadership with service orientation.

 

[Ambitious Orange]

It's not really volunteer hours so much IMO but it can definitely fall as entrepreneurship/leadership with service orientation.

Huh I didn’t think about it that way! I’m am lacking in leadership!

 

[SpoiledMilk]

Aside: When you are writing drafts of your PS and secondaries, have objective "strangers" who you trust to have a final look at them. Don't rely on parents, relatives, or friends POV because of the subjectivity.

 

[LizzyM]

Unless you are directing members of your peer group in a team effort, it isn't really leadership. Go with hobby. Adcoms love hobbies. And that your hobby is helping people, that is extra good.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I don't know whether you managed anyone. I guess it is easier once we know what you did with this opportunity. I did lump in entrepreneurship as a category which requires some planning required of leaders.

 

[Ambitious Orange]

Unless you are directing members of your peer group in a team effort, it isn't really leadership. Go with hobby. Adcoms love hobbies. And that your hobby is helping people, that is extra good.

I don't know whether you managed anyone. I guess it is easier once we know what you did with this opportunity. I did lump in entrepreneurship as a category which requires some planning required of leaders.

I think I’m going to just stick with it as a hobby and hopeful the service and organizing aspect will be apparent from my description. Thank you all again for all of the advice!