Spring break had a bittersweet end, but not because I couldn’t relax on the beach or by the pool anymore, because I didn’t do any of that. I returned to classes this past Monday knowing I had thirteen new friends, inspiration to change the world, and the determination and support to accomplish anything I set my mind to. I know you must be asking how only one week could give me all of this, so let me break it down for you.?
On the gender and sexuality alternative break, we participated in several service and educational components in the New Haven, Hartford, and even North Hampton, Mass. areas. Some of our service consisted of volunteering at the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen in New Haven, the New Haven Pride Center, the Gay and Lesbian Health Collective (where we made about three hundred safe sex kits), and the True Colors conference that was held right on the UConn campus. We also learned a lot from the Health Collective, and other places such as CARC (Connecticut Aids Resource Center), Women and Families center, such as sexual assault concerning the LGBT community, and The LGBT Coalition of Western Massachusetts.
I asked myself at the end of the trip what all these things I participated in meant. As a whole it was something I was able to do for someone else and participate in change. But each thing individually gave me something to take away from it. I won’t speak for my whole group, but from the soup kitchen I took away appreciation and gratitude for never having to worry about food and shelter. I was able to take away pride from the Pride Center and from everything else we did. I am prouder of myself than I ever been before; proud of what I was able to contribute and proud of who I am as identifying as part of the LGBT community. I took away friendship, support, connections for my future, and a constant rush of happiness that hasn’t stopped since I returned to campus.
The service and everything that I have received from this trip does not stop just because spring break is over. I will continue volunteering hopefully with the same group and striving for change for all human rights!
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Conn chapter.