10. Learn about different cultures: You may have come from one of Chicago’s racially segregated neighborhoods where you rarely saw people who didn’t look, act or talk like you. Volunteering in an impoverished community allows you to meet people with a different world view. This website provides a list of organizations that may need help: www.homelessshelterdirectory.org.

9. Discover your strengths and weaknesses: You might find you’re good at helping people. On the other hand, you might discover some volunteer work is not for you. When I helped build houses in Mexico I was more of a hindrance than a help due to my lack of coordination.

8. Brush up on an old skill: Back in high school you may have played an instrument, but you haven’t picked it up since senior year. Maybe you like to sew or knit, but you just haven’t done it lately. What if you pulled your old equipment out of the closet and used it to help make someone else’s holiday happier? Learn a few holiday songs you could play at a nursing home this holiday season. Start knitting something for a child who won’t get much this Christmas. It’s a simple idea that doesn’t require you to learn anything new.

7. Make new friends: You can meet a lot of interesting, positive people through volunteering. They can lead you to other volunteer opportunities you never considered.

6. Boost your resume: Add a few lines to your sparse résumé by doing volunteer work.

5. Consider alternate career paths: Maybe you’re a year into your major and you realize it isn’t for you. Helping out at a hospital, nursing home, food bank or even a church can open your eyes to different careers.

4. Show your local pride: Whether you’re from DeKalb, Chicago or anywhere in between, you should be proud of the place you call home. Wiz Khalifa rapped about black and yellow to bring attention to Pittsburgh. Alicia Keys sang about dreams coming true in New York. You can talk to the organizations you belong to about sponsoring campus clean up days to help keep NIU beautiful.

3. Show your state pride: The Illinois Adopt-A-Highway Program recruits volunteer groups to keep a section of state highway clean. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, each year these groups collect 32,000 bags of trash from state highways. Yet Illinois still spends more than $12.5 million on litter pickup. Your group can go to www.dot.state.il.us/aah/default.html for more information.

2. Shows others they’re appreciated: Every Christmas, my family and I make cookies for the workers at a local soup kitchen. It shows we appreciate their hard work and dedication.

1. It’s good for your health: Helping others makes you happier, but you don’t need a study to tell you that. We all know how good it feels to make someone else smile. If you don’t, what are you waiting for? Get out there and make someone else’s day.