More Than Just Cleaning: A Journey of Purpose

Let me share a journey back when I was still in first year in college. This task was part of our Civic Welfare Training Service under NSTP.

After being appointed by our instructor, I had the opportunity to lead my classmates during our campus cleaning session. I’m very grateful and happy that everyone participated and cooperated throughout the activity.

During this activity, we segregated all the waste into biodegradable and non-biodegradable categories with the assistance of students from other courses who were also enrolled in CWTS.

Aside from collecting garbage, we also cleared the overgrown grass. We didn’t have a bolo, so we had to use our hands to pull out the long grasses, which made the task more challenging but still fulfilling.

We had meaningful conversations while clearing the grasses and truly enjoyed the moment together. Although it was quite exhausting—especially for me because I easily get sweaty—it was still a fun and memorable experience

Overall, my experience has been a meaningful journey. Now that I am already in my second year and about to enter my third year, everything is starting to make sense. There is truly a difference—the pressure is increasing, especially with our upcoming third-year thesis. However, when I look back, my first year remains the most memorable.

This experience also encouraged me. Someday, I hope to clean and take good care of my own home—making it a peaceful and special place. It’s not that difficult, especially when you value having a beautiful and healthy environment. It’s just a bit sad that many young people nowadays are no longer interested in this kind of work. Perhaps it’s because, from one generation to another, so many things have changed.