Andrea Crockett

23/02/2022

Heya! My name is Andrea, and I’m a third year BA student studying English and Sociology Since my first semester in first year, I’ve been engaged in volunteering opportunities offered by the UL, and I cannot recommend the experience enough.

One such opportunity is the UL Buddy Programme. This is my fourth semester volunteering with the Buddy Programme, and it has afforded me so many experiences and the opportunity to make life-long friends. The wonderful people in the UL Global office match your interests and personality to three or four incoming international students and it is then your job to help your buddies to settle into college life here in UL, and indeed to life in Ireland, in any way you can. Even simple things like advising your buddies on what kind of clothes to pack when coming to Ireland, or where the best coffee/pint is served on campus are hugely beneficial to them, and it is an incredibly fulfilling volunteering opportunity.

I’ve always been a great people person, and I absolutely love to make new friends and help others, which was definitely a huge motivator for me to get involved in volunteering during my time as a UL student. Equally, the vast and expansive list of volunteering opportunities offered in UL caters to literally every interest, and I guarantee there is something out there for everyone!

I could not advocate more for UL students to get involved in volunteering. Not only is it great craic, but all of your volunteering hours are counted towards your PVA, which is an outstanding achievement to have on your CV, as well as being on your UL transcript. If you’re looking to meet new people, get to experience new things, and help others in the process, I couldn’t recommend volunteering enough!