I was thinking about how many times I've moved homes. Well, I worked out that that I have moved house/apartment/home 9 times in my life. This means that  on average I move home once every two years which I reckon is a fair bit of moving.

Reflecting back on each time I have relocated, I noticed that I have adjusted to places better when I was involved in my community through things like sports, various youth organisations, clubs and volunteering. By being involved in my community, say for example through recreational basketball, I have been able to meet new people from many walks of life and been part of new social networks.

For those of you new to Geelong and adjusting to study life here I highly recommend getting involved in our community.

Of the above, I especially recommend volunteering for an organisation you have an interest in. It is free and often very flexible which can be very handy for students trying to balance work and study at the same time.

Along with social networks that can be made, helping an organisation in a field that you have an interest in can be an enriching and rewarding experience. I remember how exciting it was to be on strike team for my CFA brigade down in Lorne for the bushfires there. Aside from the good feeling of working to protect houses that were in danger, the appreciation that people gave was truly heartfelt.

Besides that there are always the benefits and perks of being a volunteer. These are usually given in the form of food and drink haha, but sometimes you might even get free entry into an event or score some old equipment that is no longer needed.

Finally, volunteering is great for finding work. It looks great on a resume and usually there is someone who is willing to be a referee for you. Personally, I have found that being a volunteer is great for job interviews, especially when they say something like, "Tell me about yourself," or, "What do you enjoy doing in your freetime?"

All in all, I believe it is a great idea to volunteer for your community or various organisations as it is a great place to create friendships and networks, it has rewarding experiences, there are usually many perks and benefits, it looks great on a resume and is great for interviews.

I hope that I have got you to think about volunteering as I do believe it is very rewarding.

Anyway, good luck, and enjoy the upcoming summer.

Roni

image source: Alistair Harding - Flicker