- Rush to school
- Rush from one class to the next
- Rush home
Your day may vary a bit, but I feel this must be standard for a commuter campus. How many students put away their cell phones or iPods and enjoy the beauty of the campus?
I was one of those students before completing my service-learning hours at AACC-Campus Landscaping, an organization whose mission is, “To enhance the beauty, utility and ecological value of the outdoor spaces of the Anne Arundel Community College Arnold campus.”(Service Learning Student Handbook-On-Campus Partners #105)
A little manual labor went a long way in changing my routine between classes. I pulled weeds in flowerbeds. I trimmed back perennials. I dug up dead bushes and replaced them with new shrubbery. I even participated in a group effort to plant 150 flower bulbs in one location outside the Careers building.
This opened my eyes to the beauty of the campus, which students like me have helped to improve. Now, instead of taking the shortest path to my next class, I choose the most scenic. I eat lunch outdoors, and I park further away to better enjoy the autumn foliage.
At first glance, I had no idea how this service learning opportunity would correspond with my Business Communications class. I asked Ms. Ailstock concerning opportunities to learn the organizational and development processes, but she recommended I do the work assigned and see what I could divulge from my experience. Communication; the ability to understand and execute both verbal and written communication is imperative to accomplish unsupervised landscaping tasks. This is extremely important concerning the survival of new plants.
Take a walk around campus and enjoy the life and color of the landscape. It seems to promote a better learning environment.
If you want to improve your AACC experience, volunteer. Your help will affect more people than you realize and you may learn something new along the way.
