On September 9, 2017,  my four roommates laid comfortably in bed as I readied myself for the day, knowing that what I was about to embark on was even more blissful than sleep.

The Stockton Day of Service is an annual event that demonstrates the importance of service. Over 450 volunteers came out to “exit [their] comfort zones,” as put by Stockton’s Associate Provost. My group of 40, so designated by our red-colored name tags, were promised an hour in each project, hoping that one would be the “launch pad” for a commitment to service. We first headed to work in civic engagement with the Service Learning Department. Activities included taking a Naturalization Test and publicly displaying our political opinion. When we “voted with our feet,” I spoke on the issue of free college tuition. I left the event confident in having spoken for what I stand for. With Circle K, we were able to help the local community. We made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the A.C. Rescue Mission. We were guaranteed that the sandwiches are “appreciated,” even when imperfect. It was uplifting to help the my local community. In the afternoon, we learned about Cerebral Palsy with Alpha Lambda Delta. There, we constructed ribbons for the cause. Having had a cousin with Cerebral Palsy, I was particularly engaged in this activity. The final event of the day was to help end world hunger. Our group personally packed 10,000 meals, rounding out the 45,000 meals made that day for those suffering from starvation.

The Day of Service turned out to be the best way to spend my Saturday. I cannot wait for next year!