I’ve always had a tendency to involve myself with a myriad of activities outside of school and work. In high school, I played volleyball, had an internship, and volunteered regularly; in college, I started The GW Social Enterprise Forum, interned with several organizations, was a mentor for Compass Fellows, and was very involved with a pre-semester volunteer program for freshmen called Community Building Community.

• To be generous: One might argue that the #1 thing that gets a young professional out of bed at 6:45am on a Saturday morning for a Change the Triangle volunteer event is selflessness. Seeing the impact we have on the community, through cleaning Jordan Lake or working with kids at Haven House, is certainly a huge motivation for me. Knowing I can drink a cup of coffee doesn’t hurt either Likewise, empowering others is my top motivation for being involved with Compass Fellows- I see the benefits of the fellowship and want to play a role in ensuring that the most students possible can reap those benefits.
• To make friends: The majority of my friends have come from Change the Triangle, so I can’t discount that as a benefit. Like with Community Building Community, having access to a group of like-minded young adults has been incredible. Meeting like-minded girls was definitely my #1 motivation for starting the blog group. 
• To network: Being involved in “extracurriculars” is a great jumping off point for conversations and adds a unique dimension to young professionals. Compass and the GW Alumni Association will undoubtedly provide me with extensive networking opportunities with individuals whom I already have something in common with (a love of social enterprise and a fondness for GW, respectively). 
• To pad our resumes: When we’re meeting all said people at networking events {see above}, we can pass out our super-padded resumes, which include our numerous professional affiliations  
• To give us an escape from work: Working on a Habitat house is a far cry from tweeting or sourcing candidates, which is probably why I enjoy it so much {not to say I don’t love tweeting or sourcing!}. Stepping outside my normal day-to-day is empowering and a welcome change of pace.  
• Peer pressure: Whether you think of it as positive peer pressure or not, our generation certainly instills in us that being involved and yes, staying busy, are critical for our happiness and success. 
• Explore outside interests: When I was a Human Services major in college, being part of Compass Partners and founding The GW Social Enterprise Forum allowed me to explore my budding interest in social enterprise. Extracurriculars and hobbies are a safe, low-commitment way to explore our other interests, perhaps even leading to a change in major or career path.

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