I used to be embarrassed about being tree hugger girl. Recycling girl. Compost girl. While standing in the dining hall during dinner hours and instructing people that they should compost their paper napkins I would think, “God, I look ridiculous. People must think I have no life.” Even though I knew that what I was doing was important, it seemed pretty boring and stupid at the time.
Then something occurred to me. Some people probably do think that I’m an annoying, plant-worshiping, environmental nerd. But a lot of people think it’s cool. It was pretty lonely standing next to a trash can of food slop in plastic gloves and an apron for a few hours, but in reality, I am one of over three million college students who volunteer (www.nationalservice.gov).
And there are so many activists in the world who are much more dedicated to their causes than me--Bono, Al Gore, Angelina Jolie. I’ve never thought, “Jeez, why can’t the Dahli Lama just give it a break for a second and play some Super Smash Brothers this weekend like a normal person?”
In fact, the only negative thought I can possibly have regarding other activists is guilt because they are much more generous with their time and resources than me. I discovered that there is no reason to be ashamed of being a passionate person. And as soon as I stopped being embarrassed about being an eco-freak, I was suddenly way more hip and interesting.
When I asked Ashley George, the coordinator for the Center for Service and Civic Engagement, one reason why someone should volunteer, she said, activism is “essential to the functioning of our communities and connect[s] us as human being to each other in a way that can’t happen in many other capacities.” Okay—so I didn’t feel particularly connected to humanity during my existence as compost girl, but that’s because I hadn’t found a type of service that could grab my attention. It turned out that environmental architecture was my thing.
With this in mind, I have an assignment for the semester: be a freak. Find an issue that gets you foaming at the mouth, (maybe Champlain being a dry campus, skateboard bans in your hometown, or littering,) and do something about it. Research it. Tell your friends about it. Write a letter to someone with power. Design a t-shirt about it. Meet other people who are interested in it. Bring it up in class discussions. Dress up as it for Halloween, and when people ask, tell them about it!
You might feel foolish and a little obsessed at first, but I think you’ll find that your friends respect you for not hiding the most interesting aspects of your personality from them. Yes, a few laugh and say, “dude, you’re wasting your time,” but in the end, other people will see that they are the absurd ones, not you. Especially for the guys, girls love it when you get worked up about animal abuse or homelessness or cancer research, so don’t be afraid to flout your cause. There are plenty of other bonuses to becoming an expert about an issue, too. You’ll have a subject to write your next research paper about. You’ll meet other people with the same interest as you. You’ll be able to volunteer your time for something that actually interests you. You’ll become aware of other related issues that may interest you even more. And you may find a career focus or lifelong hobby.
The only way to get motivated to do all these things, though, is to find an issue that gets you jazzed. So pick up a newspaper or watch the news--even the Daily Show can get you started. Once you get going, it won’t seem more like work any longer--more like a mission. Ever notice that Superman and Batman seem to be the most popular and lovable characters on their shows? It’s because everyone loves daring, generous, and optimistic people, so be the coolest person you know this year and do something BIG.
2 comments:
Rachel!
This is really good. I loved your title. It's just awesome. And your actual article is just as fantastic. It has a really good message, and a reasonable that anyone can attain to. And, at the same time, it isn't preachy. At all. You present all of your arguments with a lot humor. I especially liked your fake quote, "“Jeez, why can’t the Dahli Lama just give it a break for a second and play some Super Smash Brothers this weekend like a normal person?” It honestly made me laugh out loud.
I can't think of too many ways to improve it-- it's already so awesome. However, it could probably be shortened a little. I don't mean anything dramatic, just you repeat yourself a few times and that's probably not totally necessary. Either way, though, it's fantastic!
Rachel,
Your title is fantastic - it works well with your Batman and Superman reference at the end.
The references you make (Super Smash Bros., Batman and Superman, the use of 'dude') were great and the familiarity and recognition I gained gave me even greater reason to keep reading.
You have the (www.nationalservice.gov) put in like that when you could add it as a hyper link. I was thinking that you could make the word 'volunteer' the hyper link because that would make the most sense, considering the other words in the sentence.
I also wanted more thoughts on the subject of finding and pursuing a passion. You have some great commentary on the great parts of having a passion and being comfortable with it, but what are the trade offs of where you get your passion from? Is it more powerful to be inspired when you're not searching for it? Have you experienced false-passion, so to speak? As in, you feel like you're walking the right path and realize you're unhappy and unsatisfied.
I agree with what Ashley said as well, you're not preaching to me. You keep it informative and entertaining without losing flow or voice.
Post a Comment