Giving Something Back

I was once told that I was selfish.  

I can't remember who, or when, or exactly how.  But the overall impression has stuck with me for years.  It made me feel SO bad.  I didn't think I was a selfish person.  In fact, I used to go out of my way not to be.  And it only took one comment, from one person, to give me a complex about it.  It was said to me again when I was about 18 or 19, by someone who tried to tell me that "although she was a poor student, she still gave to charity"... implying I don't, because I'm too selfish (there was a lot more context that allowed me to draw that conclusion just fyi).  Needless to say, I am no longer in contact with either of those people, because both of them (not just their comments) affected me super negatively, and they drained me emotionally.  You don't need people like that in your life.

So this is also a warning - be careful what you say to people.  You could really affect them.  Never tell anyone they are fat.  Never tell anyone they are selfish.  People just need to be nicer.  But anyway, this isn't a post about that.  That is just background for what I really want to talk about.

Since those comments were made, as I said, I've gone out of my way to make sure noone ever calls me that again.  (and I'm not trying to toot my own horn here btw)

I volunteered for 2+ years at an animal rescue shelter, with gorgeous kitties (and we ended up adopting one!)

We got our other 2 kitties from the local SPCA.

I always give to charities when they are doing street collecting

I was a street collector myself for the Breast Cancer Awareness day

I took part in a day my class held for the "Make Poverty History" campaign when we noticed the bracelet our teacher was wearing from the campaign, and we sold chocolate and things and raised money for it

I always baked stuff for the fundraising bake sales we had at school for charity

I always did the 40hr famine at school

I helped my year group participate in the Relay4Life (I couldn't run myself, I was ill at the time, but I fundraised)

I always donate to causes close to my heart, for people I know, like my friend doing Relay4Life, or my cousins doing a run for Leprosy, or my friends little sisters summer camp, or a local radio DJ doing an alcohol fast in Feb (FebFast), even when I don't have any money.

My family had a sponsor child for a long time

I used to drive my friends all over the place, and they almost never gave me petrol money, but I always offered to take them home anyway.

I was often the sober driver, since I didn't drink anyway.

I can't think of anything else at the moment, but that's just a few of the things I can remember.  As I said, I'm not trying to brag about what I've done.  But I love helping people and animals.  And I love giving back.  Since I've been at university, I have been kind of busy, of course, with study and such.  But I've decided it's time to give back to the university. 

So I signed up to be an international buddy.  What this means is that I get paired with a new international student coming to my university, and I get to email them and answer their questions before they come to NZ, and then when they are here, we get to participate in activities together, and I help show them around and all that jazz.  It sounds quite fun.  It's unpaid, which is fine by me, and you get a participation certificate, but most importantly, you get to make new friends!  Weehoo! :)  I'm looking forward to this!

I also just signed up to be a note taker for the 3 papers I'm taking next semester, in case there is anyone in my class who has a disability that impairs their note-taking skills.  Since I take mahhvelous notes (according to many who have borrowed them haha) I figured why not help others at the same time! :)  It's not much extra work to email a copy of my notes to a co-ordinator who will forward them on to someone who really needs them! :)

So next semester, I begin to give back.  And I'm excited.  There's nothing quite like the high you get from doing that.