Get Herald RSSThe idea that privileged Brown students have an obligation to help others is generally unquestioned. Some students organize around international humanitarian issues, some coach high school debate and some mentor immigrants. Surrounded by all these do-gooders, a friend recently confessed to me she's afraid of not being "activist enough" for Brown.
I don't think she should be worried. For people who don't already feel passionate about a cause, going out to look for something to care about is probably not a good idea.
But even if you are one of those students who is already involved in a project you care about, I think it's worthwhile to periodically evaluate the merit of your commitments and think about whether your volunteering hours are truly worthwhile.
I approach this question from a slightly cynical place. My first volunteering experience was with the Kerry campaign in the summer of 2004. I worked in the Boston office, making polling phone calls to undecided New Hampshire voters and soliciting money from registered Democrats. As we know, Kerry lost the election in 2004 despite winning New Hampshire. I couldn't help but feel that my summer hours may have been better spent on the beach.
I tried volunteering again in the spring of my freshman year. I co-taught a weekly dance class at the Hartford Park public housing center with Community Outreach through the Performing Arts, a Swearer Center program that "seeks to build relationships between college students and children in Providence to encourage confidence, inspire learning and foster creativity for all participants."
It was a disaster. The students had no interest in taking a dance class, at least the kind of class that I was qualified to teach, and every Friday afternoon became a battle. They were really into doing the splits, but that was about it.
There was no confidence encouraged or creativity inspired. I had been naive to think that my students would appreciate what we had to offer. I think they mostly wondered, "Who is this white girl and why is she bothering to come here?"
After my COPA experience, I shied away from volunteering. First of all, I felt uncomfortable going into other people's communities and offering what I felt was important for them to have. Second, I decided that I didn't have much to offer as an 18-year-old whose only skills were reading, writing, test taking and dancing.
I decided it would be better to spend my time at Brown focusing on my coursework, campus activities and getting enough sleep.
The good news is that Americans are living longer lives, and the opportunities for doing good don't end at graduation. My grandparents, inspired by Barack Obama and their experience canvassing for him in Pennsylvania, have recently renewed their commitment to public service.
My grandmother, a psychologist, has started volunteering as a counselor at the Planned Parenthood center in her area. My step-grandfather, a retired professor, has plans to start a tutoring and support service for returning veterans who have government money to go to college but need some help to develop the academic tools necessary for success in higher education.
They both excelled in fields that they were passionate about and then later found ways to use their wealth of knowledge and experience for the greater good. To me, this seems more worthwhile than my teaching dance to kids who couldn't have cared less.
Sometimes I feel a little guilty. I could have shopped around for a more suitable way to donate my hours instead of just giving up. College doesn't have to be a selfish time - Brown students devoted to public service throughout their college careers have been able to accomplish great things.
Ultimately, it's a matter of personal preference. People should take their time before deciding whether to commit to a cause.
People should also be thoughtful about how effective their actions can be and how the communities being addressed respond to their efforts. For some, these elements don't align during their years at Brown, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
Rachel Forman '09 prefers not to reap the corners of her field or gather the gleaning of her harvest.
