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Who doesn't love that feeling you get when you know that you have done something good for someone else? I personally don't know anyone who can say they hate the feeling of accomplishment and pride in themselves when they know they have done a good deed for someone. After making and delivering cookies to home bound individuals, this is how I felt and at that particular point in time I knew I had done something truly good and this is one of the times I feel I was at my best.
I don't know how many people have heard of the International Order of Rainbow for Girls (Rainbow for short), but it is a masonic affiliated organization for girls ages 11-20 that promotes volunteerism among other valuable life lessons. I have been involved with this organization since I was 11 years old and although my particular group had always been small we did do some local volunteer activities that I know made at least a few people very happy.
My favorite thing we have done is to bake, decorate, and deliver Christmas cookies to home bound individuals in our area. Many of these people were elderly and/or sick and do not get very many visitors. We made about 20 plates full of a variety of sweet treats, loaded into a couple of cars, and hand delivered the plates to each individual. The look of surprise followed by joy on each persons face was priceless and it let you know that you had made their day (possibly their week). At each stop I felt more accomplished and proud not only of making something for these wonderful individuals, but for the time I was taking to talk to each of them even if it was just for 20 minutes. I knew I was making a small difference in their day.
How can I take those feelings of accomplishment and pride and translate them to my first semester at college? I really don't think that finding a way to apply those feelings to my first semester is a challenge. I feel accomplished every time I do well on a quiz, introduce my self to a new person, or do something else that pushes me out of my comfort zone. In reality I feel so accomplished just making the move to Iowa State University because I am the first person in my family to leave home to go to college. Pride is something else that can be easily obtained. It can be from doing something as simple as running or going out of your comfort zone to introduce yourself to someone on the bus, in a class, or on your floor.
