It’s always important to have a plan set for the future; you plan where you go to college, what your career will be, and what you will do afterwards. I never had a plan for anything; my attitude toward the future was that I’d figure it out along the way.

I decided what college I’d attend a month before classes started, and I switched my major about three times before I graduated. Even as graduation came closer, I had no plan for what I was going to do after I received my diploma. As the reality set in that I actually had to figure out what I was going to do, two students came in and gave a presentation about AmeriCorps.

They spoke about the benefits of serving and the variety of programs available across the country. Honestly, at the time I didn’t pay much attention to what they said, other than thinking it sounded like a cool opportunity. It wasn’t until I finished my finals that I really started being curious about service. Initially I considered serving someplace close to home so I wouldn’t have to deal with the stresses of moving but one day I received an email for Montana Campus Compact, and as I learned more about the program I realized it was something I really wanted to do. Two interviews and a couple months later, I was making the 21-hour drive from Illinois to Montana.

I have been in service for the past five months, and I believe this was the best decision for me after college. I didn’t know what to expect once I started service, but I knew that I would have a worthwhile experience. One that would be beneficial to me and the people I served.

Through my service, I assist students within the TRIO Upward Bound program at Montana Tech, as well as the academic mentoring program at Legion Oasis; which is a low-income housing complex in Butte. My schedule stays pretty consistent with assisting the TRIO Upward Bound Robotics Team every other day and the other days at the Legion Oasis.

Even with this consistency each day is different. The students on the robotics team always find something new to add to their robot and then the next time they meet they immediately remove that part, and start over. Every day I spend mentoring at the Legion Oasis is different, too, and all depends on how focused the students are that day. This has forced me to learn a number of tactics to get students to focus— such as using hangman as a way to learn spelling words.

Overall, the past six months have been an amazing experience that I did not expect to be doing a year ago. While I spent most of my life not making plans for my future, it really turned out for the best in this case. If I had a set plan, I most likely wouldn’t have been in AmeriCorps, and I’m not sure what I would be doing. Long story short, I’m happy that I chose national service, and I’m excited to see what else I will experience in the months ahead.