These events were back to back weekends in March this year, and although it was hard not getting to catch up on sleep like I usually do every weekend, participating in both of them was extremely rewarding and worth the lack of rest.
Dance Marathon, for those that don't know, is an event that has become very popular on numerous college campuses across the country. At Mizzou, it lasts 13.1 hours and the money raised by everyone involved goes towards the Children's Miracle Network Hospital on campus. Basically, it's a huge dance party from noon-1:06 in the morning, and it's all FTK-"For the Kids".
Ever since I heard about Mizzou's DM from my summer welcome leader this past July, I knew I wanted to be involved. My cousin who graduated from Indiana University danced at IU's DM while she was there and I remember thinking it sounded so hard to have to stand for that long, but my cousin was cool and older than me and thus I naturally wanted to be like her and do it once I was old enough.
Yes, standing for 13.1 hours was hard. I wasn't actually that worried about it until about hour six, when you realize you're not quite halfway and everyone's initial adrenaline rush seems to wear off a bit, but the DM Steering Committee planned plenty of activities-and meals!-to keep me going.
While I loved the Zumba lesson, dance crew performances and especially the free Andy's custard, I have to say that seeing the kids that we were helping out there on the dance floor really made the experience worthwhile. Even though one girl was confined to a wheelchair, you could tell she was still feeling the music as she sat and gazed at all the people dancing in her honor with one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen.
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| DM participants sign "the board" pledging to stay the full 13.1 hours |
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| Two friends and I in front of our team banner |
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| My sorority sisters and I showing off on the dance floor |
Relay for Life was no exception.
The following weekend, which happened to be St. Patrick's Day, I pulled an all-nighter (from 6pm-6am) for the American Cancer Society, and it's the only time I can ever say that getting zero sleep has paid off.
My Nana passed away from cancer in 2005, and ever since I have been a big supporter of the American Cancer Society. When a close friend of mine lost her grandpa not long after I lost Nana, we got a big group of girls together and went door-to-door singing Christmas carols and carrying a box for donations. We gave all the money that we received to ACS and donated it in our lost grandparents' names.
It's one thing to spend a couple hours caroling, but it's another to spend a whole night walking a track and fighting the urge to close your eyes. I knew that participating in the event would be hard for me, and I was a little bummed that I wouldn't get to celebrate St. Patty's Day with my friends, but Relay for Life had been on my bucket list for eight years and I knew that I would regret not doing it.
I'm really glad that I listened to that little voice in my head urging me to participate. Watching all the names of the people that relay participants had lost to cancer flash across the screen was indescribibly emotional, and listening to a few survivors speak about their fight with this terrible disease was equally inspirational.
So, I know that I'm always going on and on about "getting involved" and I'm starting to sound like more of a school counselor or administrator with every blog entry, but it's true: giving back is extremely important, and there are a million ways to do it in college.
I guess the point is the same. Take advantage of all the philanthropic opportunities you have at school because giving up a couple Saturdays a year is going to make a much larger impact than you could ever imagine.
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| Me selling some pizzas to fundraise for ACS |
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| Luminaries set out to honor those who have battled cancer |
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