NSS Volunteer Experience

This is Madhumitha and I have shared my volunteer experience as a student volunteer in NSS which is referred to as the National Service Scheme during my undergraduate college days.

How do I enroll myself in NSS?

Literally, I was not aware of being a volunteer in NSS. Let me tell you my story about it. NSS is referred to as the National Service Scheme which is one of the social services of our country. It has a motto of NOT ME BUT YOU. I was a fresher studying B.Sc. Computer Science in Lady Doak College, Madurai in the year of July 2019. It was a warm Wednesday of the month. Since our classes started a month ago, the college has conducted various social service programs such as National Cadet Corps, Red Ribbon Cross, Rangering (similar to scouts and guides), and many more in which they asked every first-year undergraduate student to enroll in it. These social service programs act as a part of our degree. They call these programs part 5 course . Many students were selecting which program they should enroll in. The college asked us to enroll in any one of the programs and once we had chosen a program, we could not change it forever. For this reason, I have to choose a program wisely. I had two options in my mind. One is NSS and the other one is Rangering. I had NSS as my first and prior choice. My friends told me that NSS has a good value and scope than other programs for our future. I researched about it internet and its purposes. In my college, NSS has two years of duration. It also has high credits for my degree so I took the NSS program as my part 5 course in my college.

About my Volunteer Work

The NSS program started at the mid of July 2019. It was another Wednesday. Students who were enrolled in NSS were assembled in the college auditorium for their first class along with our seniors. I also there for my first day class. Teachers came there as our faculties. On the very first day, faculties asked us to introduce ourselves. Everyone introduced them and which department they are. Usually the day went on. This NSS program was conducted every Wednesday. I used wore my NSS uniform which is a white salwaar and a green duppata. It was about to be good day for me. The program starts at 10.00 AM to 12.00 PM on every Wednesday. Attendance also took for this program.

At the beginning, we were supposed to sing NSS song. Our Seniors became very friendly with us and they also helped us for doing tasks given by our faculties. Not only on Wednesday; if some events were conducted in our college such as Independence day, Sports day or any other college functions, NSS would be conducted. As a student volunteer of NSS, I usually be on time for my work. I usually do work on making posters, paintings, cleaning campus, planting trees, etc. along with other volunteers. Our Seniors also gave their experiences about their volunteer work. They also narrated about their NSS camp experience in a small village.

Volunteer work during pandemic period

Oh! It was the year of 2020. Every colleges were closed due to pandemic and online classes began. Our NSS program also conducted in online classes. It was conducted for two hours from 2.30 PM to 4.30 PM on every Wednesday. It got began after our regular classes through Google Meet. The program gone usually by faculties as they give tasks for the program each day. The tasks are simple and easy. They created a Google classroom for NSS for submission of the task. They told attendance would be given if the tasks were submitted. Students were supposed to submit the tasks only for the attendance. I am also doing well so, but also I learnt many skills by doing the tasks. Then our juniors came. We also did the same what our seniors did for us.

Online NSS Camp

Since it was a pandemic period in the year of March 2021, we were unable to visit village and do social services for the people as our seniors did some activities like medical camp, blood donation camp, fitness camp, etc. Our faculties done a wonderful idea by keeping camp activities in our home as assessment. We done some small activities such as fitness, planting trees, cleaning, poster making, video creation on trending awareness, etc. I submitted these activities by taking pictures of it and posting it in the Google classroom. For our senior the camp was conducted for one week but for us it was just five days excluding weekends. All other NSS volunteers tried their best to complete the tasks given for each day. At last, we have successfully completed our NSS Camp through online.

Final day and the outcome

Then the day has been arrived for our final NSS class on 21st April 2021. The meeting was conducted through the Google Meet. Every NSS volunteers in our batch has shared their wonderful experience in this program to our juniors. I also shared my story and experience with them. Faculties gave a very good appreciation for every volunteers for doing a wonderful job. I also gave my feedback for being a well student volunteer in National Service Scheme for two years. I also learnt a lot of thing by being a part of student volunteer during my undergraduate study in Lady Doak College. It also helped me for adding it to my work or volunteer experience in my resume.