ww44: GBTTS

what I have discovered this week is that since I have started my placement I have had so many opportunities to Give Back To The Society. I think student life in general is all about surviving; when is the maintenance loan installment going to come in and cover my overdraft?; am i going to meet rent?; how are we going to pay the bill?; will I manage to buy all the books for this year?; can i live on 5 quid for a week after I spent all my money? (etc.)

Well, when you are on a placement the story changes A LOT. You finally have enough money to meet rent and bills, to not worry about surviving the month. Once this time come one should try to give something back. It definitely sounds so cheesy and so world-peacy but it is true. You don't need to win a beauty pagan to do some charity. The greatest thing about being on a placement in a massive corporation is that there are plenty of opportunities. Why? Because it is very important for a company to be supported by the community and charity puts every company in good light. Thus, there are plenty of volunteer work that the employees are urged to do. And this is actually and amazing thing. No matter what reasons may be behind the decision of company X to support charity Y, the end result is positive for both - better image for X and support for Y (and a warm feeling inside for the actual volunteer).

From an employee's perspective it gives me the chance to help someone less fortunate than me with the inner hope that if I ever end up needing help there will be someone else out there to help me; that if a friend of mine ever needs help and I am not there, a volunteer like me will make a change in her life; that by helping each other we will all live better lives (this sound so communisty but again true).

To get to the point there are great charities opportunities for every intern/placement student that will just make your time worthwhile. As a saying goes - "in his life a man should plant at least one tree!" So ask yourself: if I ever need blood transfusion what would I do if there was no volunteer to donate her blood to the hospital?; how would the world have looked like now if there were no volunteers ten years ago to plant trees in my neighborhood?; how would the poor homeless guy on the street survive the winter if there was no shelter to give him some food and protection?; how would we survive if we do not fight illnesses like cancer, leukemia, tuberculosis, AIDS and HIV?