Naomi Austin

I had a great time volunteering with the Like You Film Festival! During this shift, I helped clean up after the event was over. I connected with people from all around Memphis and got to know a little bit about why the Like You Film Festival was important to them and why they chose to volunteer. It was nice hearing different people’s experiences and seeing how much the festival meant to the Memphis community. We took down the posters, put away the lights, and stored everything in a safe place to be used again for next year’s festival. Even though cleaning up was hard work, it was rewarding knowing that I was helping make sure everything was taken care of after the event. Overall, I enjoyed being part of the festival and getting to meet new people. I definitely want to volunteer next year and make this an annual tradition for me.

I loved volunteering with the Like You Film Festival! I also volunteered with them last year, and I am making it an annual tradition for myself. During this shift, I helped scan tickets for the many screenings of the short films. I also got to watch the last short film, which was really good and rewarding because I got to watch a film from a student I had talked to while scanning people in. It was really cool to see their film after having a conversation with them earlier. I also got to meet a lot of the people who made the short films and talk to them about their inspiration for making their films. Hearing their stories and learning what inspired their creativity made the experience even more interesting. It is always a very interesting and great experience volunteering with the Like You Film Festival, and I look forward to coming back!

I had a great time volunteering with the Like You Film Festival! During this shift, I helped clean up after the event was over. I connected with people from all around Memphis and got to know a little bit about why the Like You Film Festival was important to them and why they chose to volunteer. It was nice hearing different people’s experiences and seeing how much the festival meant to the Memphis community. We took down the posters, put away the lights, and stored everything in a safe place to be used again for next year’s festival. Even though cleaning up was hard work, it was rewarding knowing that I was helping make sure everything was taken care of after the event. Overall, I enjoyed being part of the festival and getting to meet new people. I definitely want to volunteer next year and make this an annual tradition for me.

During this immersive volunteer experience with Girls Inc., I improved my gardening and teamwork skills! I do not know a whole lot about gardening or tending to a big lawn, but I learned a lot through the leaders of this service. Gardening is such an important skill, especially now because the environment is depleting, and it is so important to grow your own fruits and veggies. This service really inspired me to want to grow my own garden and not have all the added preservatives. I had a lot of conversations, and we used a lot of teamwork to get the tasks done. It was fun to talk and relate to the people around me during this service because it made time fly. We contributed to Girls Inc.'s progress by helping some Girls Inc. girls complete their daily tasks. The heat was definitely challenging, but with conversation and laughter, before I even knew it, the service was over.

During this immersive volunteer experience with Girls Inc., I improved my gardening and teamwork skills! I do not know a whole lot about gardening or tending to a big lawn, but I learned a lot through the leaders of this service. Gardening is such an important skill, especially now because the environment is depleting, and it is so important to grow your own fruits and veggies. This service really inspired me to want to grow my own garden and not have all the added preservatives. I had a lot of conversations, and we used a lot of teamwork to get the tasks done. It was fun to talk and relate to the people around me during this service because it made time fly. We contributed to Girls Inc.'s progress by helping some Girls Inc. girls complete their daily tasks. The heat was definitely challenging, but with conversation and laughter, before I even knew it, the service was over.

This experience influenced my future goals by showing me how much I enjoy working in environments that involve people and community engagement. It made me more interested in opportunities where I can interact with others, help create positive experiences, and be part of something meaningful. It also made me consider roles that involve event coordination or working in spaces that promote environmental awareness. This experience definitely changed my perspective on my role within the community. It made me realize that even small roles, like being an attendant, can have a big impact on people’s experiences. I saw how being helpful, welcoming, and present can make someone’s visit more enjoyable, which showed me that I can contribute to my community in simple but meaningful ways. The relationships I formed during this experience might influence my future involvement because I now feel more connected to the people and the environment. Being around others who care about the community and nature made me more motivated to stay involved and look for similar opportunities in the future. I would consider continuing to volunteer with this organization because I had a positive experience and felt like my time was meaningful. I enjoyed being part of something that brought people together and highlighted the importance of nature, so I would like to be involved again if I have the opportunity. In the future, I would change my approach by being more proactive and taking more initiative. I would try to ask more questions, step into more responsibilities, and find ways to go beyond just my assigned role. I think this would help me grow more and make an even bigger impact during the experience.

Through working as a Cherry Blossom Attendant at the botanical gardens, I improved my communication and customer service skills. I interacted with a lot of visitors, answered questions, and helped guide people through the space, which made me more confident speaking to others. I also developed patience and adaptability because it could get really busy, and I had to stay calm while still being helpful and positive. This experience helped me learn more about the environment and the importance of preserving natural spaces. Being surrounded by the cherry blossoms made me realize how much effort goes into maintaining something that people often take for granted. I also learned how much the community values spaces like this, especially during seasonal events, because it brings people together and creates meaningful experiences. During my service, I formed connections with other attendants and staff members. Even though we were all focused on our individual roles, we still worked together to make sure everything ran smoothly. It was nice to be around people who were all contributing to the same goal, and it made the experience more enjoyable. The organization supported me by giving clear instructions on my role and what was expected of me. They made sure I understood how to interact with guests and how to handle different situations. Having that guidance made me feel more confident and prepared while working. This experience definitely aligned with my personal values. I enjoy being part of something that brings people together and promotes appreciation for nature. It felt meaningful to contribute to an environment that encourages community connection and environmental awareness, so I didn’t experience any conflicts.

Through volunteering at Botanica Market, I developed and improved my communication and customer service skills. I had to interact with a variety of people, answer questions, and make sure everyone felt welcomed. I also improved my time management and organization because I had to balance different tasks like setting up, assisting customers, and helping vendors. My service contributed to the mission of Botanica Market by helping create a welcoming and organized environment for both vendors and customers. By assisting with setup, guiding guests, and supporting vendors, I helped ensure the event ran smoothly. My service at Botanica Market helped me better understand the importance of supporting local businesses and sustainability. I saw firsthand how small vendors rely on community support and how events like this create opportunities for them to grow. During my service, I formed new connections with other volunteers, vendors, and even some customers. It was nice to meet people who shared similar interests in community engagement and sustainability. One unexpected challenge I faced was dealing with moments of confusion or disorganization, especially when things got busy. I overcame this by staying calm, asking for help when needed, and focusing on one task at a time.