Under Colombian law, seniors are required to have at least 80 hours of social service before graduating, and every student takes a different approach to tackle this goal. 

For many students, the spaces where they have completed their social service represent a safe space, where they can harvest new relationships and help others. 

“It was important for me to do something meaningful where I could see the impact,” Pedro Florez, senior, said. 

Social service varies, all the way from helping stray dogs find a home to tutoring children with learning disabilities. After completing the required hours, students do not only achieve a certificate, but a sense of giving back to their community. 

“I think they’ll stay with me because we built them while doing something meaningful. It’s different and feels more lasting,” Miguel Sanin, senior, said. 

But it isn’t only about the refreshing feeling of being useful, but also about the process of learning in different environments. Social service is a stage to harvest patience, build trust, and have a test of the real world and the realities others have outside the TCS community.

“I’ve seen what I’m capable of. Doing stuff out of your comfort zone makes you realize you can do more than what you actually think,” Lucas Henao, senior, said. 

However, social service can be tiring for some students working for long periods of time. It is possible to encounter some challenges, but it is also a space to foster new friendships and contacts for the future. As someone said, if you have a job you feel passionate about and show interest in, most likely you will never feel like you are working.

“We always take breaks together and try to keep the mood relaxed so it doesn’t actually feel like you are working,” Sanin said. 

Because change is not immediate, this world requires discipline, giving seniors a chance to work on their patience and work ethics. Building up until change is visible is also part of the process; sometimes, the hardest part can be to start.

“Change doesn’t happen overnight, but every small action adds up. It’s all about persistence,” Henao said.