How should “service” be defined?

Let’s talk about service. Not for college applications or for the fancy resume. Not the thing that you one maybe for an hour to get a certificate or impress another. Not the forced field trip to another country where everyone smiles for photos.

No. Let’s talk about real service.

Service is and starts off with when you notice, looking around, asking: “Who’s not being seen or recognized right now?” It could be your friend or classmate who either stopped showing up or doesn’t present a lot in class, but no one asks or cares. It could be the girl who never eats lunch, or the boy who always waits for the last bus.

Service isn’t always doing something, but it could also sometimes mean listening. Not being the loudest in the room, but the one who actually hears what someone’s saying and shows up consistently.

Service doesn’t always have to be some kind of heroic action or saviorism. It’s not fixing people or taking credit for helping them. That constant mindset that we all have just destroys the true purpose of service that we forget, and is wrapped around prettier words.

Usually, a lot of people think service has to be big, starting a non-profit organization or club. However, you rather need intention and consistency, starting with small, quiet things. For example, helping your neighbor, teaching a student who is struggling to solve a problem and scared to ask for help, passing out water during a race, finding something that someone lost at school, etc. This is all service, and it counts as one of the steps to the service journey.

Service isn’t always so easy; it can be uncomfortable. But if you are honest with yourself enough and care about impact rather than attention, it will matter and will show a change.

To start service,  just think simply.

Think about something that you really like or enjoy doing.

From then on, try asking yourself these questions:

• Who gets overlooked in your school? Why?

• What’s something you care about that no one’s talking about?

• What resources do you have that you can share?

• What are you willing to do even if no one claps for you?

With these small ideas, you will be able to make your own journey of service. Everyone can.