What is community service and why is it important?

In our world of negative competition, it is unfortunate how quickly an activity's real value or essence diminishes. Many of my students have been made to feel that a community service ‘project’ is mandatory to move the college admissions committee. When any student asks me which community service project they should engage in, it signals to me that the definition of community service or involvement is blurry for them. I, thus, love the University of Michigan community essay, which asks the student to describe the community they belong to and their role within it. A community is any social unit with individuals with common interests or ideologies. Looking after a sibling is volunteering within the family community, walking a neighbour’s dog is service within the neighbourhood community, being a scribe for a peer is volunteering within the school community, and spending time teaching underprivileged children at an NGO is volunteering in society. And so, what classifies as community service is broad and bottomless. I would say that any engagement that allows students to appreciate and respect their interconnectedness with this world is an act of community service. It is an awareness of the spirit that I am because of others, and I want to respond to do that by contributing positively to some aspect of my community.

For this very reason, it is wrong to relegate community service to an extracurricular activity that a university must see a student doing. Instead, it is crucial to understand why community service is important. I would go as far as saying that community service and a spirit to serve whichever community we feel a part of is the very basis of being human. Through this, we come in touch with our pure and compassionate side, a side that each possesses. I would love to bring in reference to a story that I recently read to my son, ‘The Smartest Giant in Town,’ a story about a sad giant who wears the same clothes every day and feels his physical appearance defines his happiness. He goes into a shop and buys smart clothes for himself. But, on his way back home, he meets five animals who are desperate for help. One by one, he gives each animal a piece of his clothing. By the end, he is left feeling cold, but when he returns home, he has a surprise waiting for him. All the five animals get together to celebrate his warmth and generosity, which is what makes him feel happy and the smartest. In essence, it is the heart of compassion that matters. This is what the admissions committee wants to see. I urge students not to box themselves in by limiting themselves to one or two community service activities that other students are doing.

What is more important is to ask what aspect of your community you would like to improve or dedicate your time to? And trust me, each one will be able to find at least one thing that they would like to contribute to. Universities want to see students trying to figure this out for themselves. The more you do this; you will be able to find something to work towards in a larger sense. Your long-term goals and vision, too, will be established. What a powerful thing! This is why community service is essential and not for any other reason told to you!