Every Ohio State student should go on a Buck-I-SERV trip. It is one of the most life-changing and rewarding experiences you will ever have. You will be able to provide service to people in need with fellow OSU students by your side.
I had been wanting to go on one of these trips since my freshman year of college. I heard so many people talking about how fun and memorable of an experience it was. I finally decided to go the summer after my sophomore year. And people were right: the experience was so rewarding and fun.
On my first trip, I went to Immokalee, Fla. We went to the Guadalupe Center, which offers a children’s day care. We replanted their garden and helped the teachers set up different activities with the children. I learned a lot about helping others on this trip, while meeting some selfless and genuine OSU students. I got to see another part of our nation that I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. And I got to help out people who are in need. Doing this type of trip with eight other strangers allowed us to bond. We all grew a lot during our trip, and it was a time to reflect and realize how fortunate we really are. We learned about the Immokalee area and how many of the people there are really struggling with poverty, and it was awesome to see how happy they were to have us there to help.
It is easy to get wrapped up in our own lives and fret over the little things. But these people are really struggling and have to worry about not having food every day or about other expenses that they can’t afford. We are so fortunate to go to a university that alleviates worries about trivial expenses and we should appreciate it more often.
The experience allows you to become more appreciative. You might be out of your comfort zone by going on a trip with eight strangers, but remember: you all have a common goal, and that is to help others in need.
