I Believe in Giving Back

I believe in the gift of giving back. In order for me to be happy with who I am, for every positive event that happens to or involving me, I feel inclined to pass that experience of happiness onto another person or group of persons. Whether it is giving help on homework, giving tips on how to beat that awesome new video game that just came out, or just being there for someone when they need company, I believe each action of giving never actually ends. One simple action can have catastrophic implications on someone’s life in positive ways that you may actually never find out about, but overall lifts up our society.

After being in no-man’s-land for a year after deciding not to return to the University of Illinois, I was introduced to Columbia College Chicago. I was personally introduced to the faculty of the Game Development department who set me on the path of getting back into school, and doing something that I loved. From the positive feelings that I received from the discussions with the faculty I met, I guided an old high school friend of mine to apply and eventually be accepted to Northern Illinois University. He never thought he would make it to a 4 year accredited university, due to monetary or educational difficulties, but I kept on pushing and helping him to succeed. After he was accepted as a new student, he asked me what he could do to ever repay me. As cliché as it may sound, I told him the best thing he could do would be to give someone else the chance to experience a similar moment to when he opened his acceptance letter from NIU. And so he continued the chain of giving and success.