<rleton students are notoriously overscheduled. Activities like broomball, Ebony II, chess club, going to the rec, and catching up on the last season of “Lost” often fill up our schedules beyond what we thought possible. Having the opportunity to do all of these things is one of the great parts of Carleton life, but it also means that many feel overwhelmed. One might ask, with all of this going on, who has time to volunteer? The ACT center has many programs that can become a staple of your weekly routine, from playing basketball with MTAG, to tutoring a Northfield High School student in pre-calc, to restocking the shelves at the Community Action Center’s Food Shelf. But ACT also offers a multitude of one-time and low-time-commitment events. You may not have time to volunteer two hours a week, but you can still make a difference doing two hours a term at the blood drive, Relay for Life, or Cuts for Cancer.
A junior recently remarked, “I’ve been an adult for three years now, but what have I really done with my life?” Being in college does not need to be all about bettering yourself; rather, you can do so much to grow by helping others around you. Getting involved in our community is easy and does not have to preclude doing the things you love. If you’re into sports, the environment, social issues, working with kids, dancing, drawing, reading, or anything else, there are great opportunities for you to volunteer. Even just going to a panel discussion or checking out the education-themed SUMO movies this weekend is a way of getting involved by educating yourself. Volunteering is an uplifting and fulfilling experience that can be a part of your Carleton experience without “getting in the way” of anything else. If you would like to know more about one-time events, email sassel to be put on the email list for updates on upcoming events.
The Civic Engagement Series is on this month, with a focus on the achievement gap and education. Some one-time events coming up are:
Tuesday, February 12: “Grassroots Research and Community Organizing with Rice County Families”, Library Athenaeum, 8pm
Tuesday, February 19: “Who is Northfield? Education” Panel discussion, Great Hall, 12pm
Check out the ACT website http://apps.carleton.edu/campus/act/ to get more information and the entire schedule of events.