When you start living on your own, you tend to notice things that you might not have noticed when living with your parents or other family members. A big example of this is groceries or really anything that costs money. Growing up, I didn’t pay attention to the different brand prices of certain items, and truthfully, I didn’t pay much attention to anything related to money at all. I knew if I wanted something, I would have to work for it, but I never dove into the details of money beyond that. That has now drastically changed. As it does in every college kid’s life that I’ve come in contact with. We’re all trying to figure out cheap meals and go for the lower priced items, even if they aren’t name-brand.
I’m sure most of you have noticed that grocery stores and most fast-food places now have the option to donate to a cause or charity while you’re checking out. While most people say no, I tend to say yes, especially if it’s just rounding to the nearest dollar. When I first started rounding up, I didn’t think much of it and just felt generous. But now, it has grown to be a common thing. I’ve always loved giving back, even in small amounts, but sometimes I feel like I don’t have a lot to offer, especially when it comes to something where I have to spend extra time on it, since I typically don’t have a lot of free time to begin with. One thing that I try to take part in every year is Toys for Tots. Typically, all the athletes involved at my school pitch in to help give gifts to kids who may not have much for Christmas. However, this year my school brought it up just as we were leaving for break, so there wasn’t much a lot of us could do. Luckily, I found out the Sheriff’s office does their own Toys for Tots drive, so I was able to drop off some goodies for our local kids this week. Even though it may not be much, I contributed what I could and hopefully aided in brightening someone’s day in the long run.