Over five years after I have graduated from Wellesley, I finally decided to volunteer my time to interview local prospective students and write evaluations for the admissions committee. I figured that if I am not giving back by donating money (yet, anyway) that I should at least volunteer a bit of my time to helping my alma mater.

Tonight, I met with a prospective student here at a Starbucks just a few blocks away from my apartment. She was an enthusiastic, confident, bright-eyed high school senior who pretty much appeared to have had all the opportunities in the world available to her. We discussed her strengths, weaknesses, and interests, and how she envisioned college life to be. It was honestly a fun experience to see someone about ten years younger so excited about the future, about the unknown in front of her that she can’t yet see. It made me even more aware that I need to continue investing time and energy into people and activities that energize me… not exhaust me.