For some reason this is such a common suggestion to make friends and personally I do not see the appeal. I once volunteered for a food bank and it turned out to be wordlessly handing out packages for 3 hours and then leaving. Felt like an utter waste of time. The organizers didn’t even seem grateful, it’s like they thought they were doing ME a favor. Really made the whole endeavour look pointless to me.
If I am doing something for someone else I expect to be thanked, to be praised, to be told “good job”. The process in itself brings me no pleasure. I need validation. If what I am doing is not recognized, why do it? I guess I have an effect on the lives of these people but if I weren’t there, someone else would.
When I do something for a friend, I feel good because it’s someone I know appreciates me and enjoys my wellbeing, as I do theirs. If a stranger helps me, I end up forgetting them. Why would I help someone who will end up forgetting me and I just join the masses of people who helped them? I guess the idea is to meet similarly masochistic people who just give of themselves without getting anything back?
I don’t get it. Anyone else have experience in volunteering?