A huge number of people on this campus participate in service, and an impressively large group go on alternative break programs. It simply blows my mind how many people are not only willing – but unbelievably enthusiastic – to dedicate the one week they have off during an otherwise non-stop semester to go on one of these programs. Nothing about this process is easy—socially, financially, emotionally, physically, or mentally. When you sign up to spend a week of your life with near strangers somewhere you’ve never been before, meeting people or experiences you’ve never encountered before, you’re not just stepping out of your comfort zone—you’re leaping into a whole new realm of unknown that cannot compare to anything you’ve done before. I’m sure everyone knows someone who has done an alternative break and come back physically incapable of talking about anything else. However, since my program left the day after Christmas and came back just at the start of winter session, I missed my chance to go off about what an amazing program it was—and that’s actually not what I want to talk about here. I want to talk about the people who made this program what it was. Continue reading