Buddy vs. Teacher

Some of the best teachers I had did more than stick to curriculum or push me to achieve my full potential. The best things that my teachers have ever done for me was simply foster a connection through humor, passion, or simply being available to me outside of class.

It was important for me to have more serious and strict teachers, too, and of course a certain degree of strictness is necessary for a challenging and intriguing education, but the teachers that changed me the most put effort towards knowing me and my goals as an individual. Whether that was mainly from my efforts to stay after class or email them or a combination of their efforts with mine, having someone dedicated to teaching and deeply invested in making connections transformed how I approach learning and my life today.

I think one of the most impactful aspects of volunteering is that a person isn't constrained to being distant or remote from those that they impact. Volunteers are to create a true connection with the people they are helping and, in turn, see the true power that they hold when they donate their time. It's amazing to see how a person can have a role as a teacher but simultaneously be a buddy or friend in someone else's life, someone that they can confide in, laugh worth, relate to, and simply share the little joys of life with.

Especially during a time of war and conflict in Ukraine, it's amazing that two teenage students (me and my buddy) are able to connect with one each other and converse about daily life, as well as typical things like Netflix's Wednesday series and are bad relationships with physics and math.

Though it is a sacrifice I make to not sleep in as late on Saturday mornings to start my weekend, it's amazing to think that one hour makes a huge difference each week when it comes to building and maintaining a friendship and strong connection. Sending voice messages to each other about what's going on and our lives as average teenagers makes volunteering very special, since I'm impacting and being impacted by someone my age.