What makes the best community service experience?

[Microbeboy987]

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Hello all,

I live in NYC and I am thinking about volunteering at either a local nursing home to help with certain classes or with NYC parks to clean, plant, and improve parks. I think I'll enjoy both. Nursing home work is more convenient because it is walking distance from my house, but I'm afraid it's too "clinical" since the setting. The parks work is about an hour and a half commute but great because parks are essential to so many groups and ages of people in NYC. Which one is a better opportunity? What makes a good community service opportunity? I feel more drive to do these than work at a soup kitchen, planned parenthood, and such.

Any insight would be appreciated,

Thanks

 

[Goro]

Hello all,

I live in NYC and I am thinking about volunteering at either a local nursing home to help with certain classes or with NYC parks to clean, plant, and improve parks. I think I'll enjoy both. Nursing home work is more convenient because it is walking distance from my house, but I'm afraid it's too "clinical" since the setting. The parks work is about an hour and a half commute but great because parks are essential to so many groups and ages of people in NYC. Which one is a better opportunity? What makes a good community service opportunity? I feel more drive to do these than work at a soup kitchen, planned parenthood, and such.

Any insight would be appreciated,

Thanks

If you can alleviate suffering in your community through service to the poor, homeless, illiterate, fatherless, etc, you are meeting an otherwise unmet need and learning more about the lives of the people (or types of people) who will someday be your patients. Check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities. The key thing is service to others less fortunate than you. And get off campus and out of your comfort zone!

Examples include: Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Humane Society, crisis hotlines, soup kitchen, food pantry, homeless or women’s shelter, after-school tutoring for students or coaching a sport in a poor school district, teaching ESL to adults at a community center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or Meals on Wheels.

 

[austintr]

The best community service option is the one you will A) enjoy, B) be enthusiastic to talk about and C) do good for others. That's it. No med school is going to think "they painted stuff for the parks department? Denied!" Same with the nursing home. I would prefer the nursing home myself for a variety of reasons, but it's a 100% personal choice.

It's a small but important part of your application. Do something that shows humility and a willingness to serve.

 

[cellsaver]

Hello all,

I live in NYC and I am thinking about volunteering at either a local nursing home to help with certain classes or with NYC parks to clean, plant, and improve parks. I think I'll enjoy both. Nursing home work is more convenient because it is walking distance from my house, but I'm afraid it's too "clinical" since the setting. The parks work is about an hour and a half commute but great because parks are essential to so many groups and ages of people in NYC. Which one is a better opportunity? What makes a good community service opportunity? I feel more drive to do these than work at a soup kitchen, planned parenthood, and such.

Any insight would be appreciated,

Thanks

Smell like the sheep.

Your activities should paint a picture to any observer that you truly want to be in the trenches with your future population.