Making a Difference at PENN

By Laura S., Big Sister, University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2008

I am so excited about the enthusiasm I’ve witnessed from Penn students about BBBS. Over the past few weeks, I have had so many of my friends and acquaintances approach me to find out how they can get involved. It’s happened everywhere and at the most random times - in class, at a Halloween party, on Locust Walk and in Houston Hall just to name a few of the places.
We’ve also seen a tremendous growth in the number of people who have signed up to be Bigs. It is so inspiring to know that there are so many other students at Penn who want to make a difference and have a positive impact on a child’s life. Sometimes it can be discouraging when all I hear about at Penn is going out at night, relationships, and jobs that make a lot of money. But then when I see how many people want to be involved in organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters, I’m reminded that there are a great number of Penn students who care. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a program that is proven to work, and with so many eager Penn students volunteering as Bigs, the impact that the Penn community can have on children in West Philadelphia is enormous. Hopefully the BBBS program at Penn will continue to see this type of growth, and both the lives of Penn students and West Philadelphia children will be better for it.

A New Direction with My Little Sister

By Laura S., Big Sister, University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2008

Since I started volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, I’ve known that I was making some sort of a difference in my Little Brianna’s life. Every time that I go to CPA, she greets me with a huge smile and hug. She emails me every now and then to update me on her life. Her friends also tell me that Brianna is really excited that I came to visit her. And during the hour a week that I spend with her, Brianna and I always have a great time playing together. Through all of this, I’ve always been pleased with my relationship with Brianna. I felt as though Brianna and I were both getting something out of my weekly visits to CPA.

Last week, though, our relationship moved to a new level. I actually felt like I wasn’t just Brianna’s older friend, but her Big Sister. For the first time, Brianna’s friends were not at CPA. We finally had one-on-one time with no distractions from her friends trying to talk to the two of us or asking to participate in whatever game we were playing. For a whole hour, it was just Brianna and me. We decided to weave on a loom – (a lot harder than it looks!). Once we got the hang of it, weaving was such a mindless activity that Brianna and I were able to really bond and connect in a way that we had never done before. We finally had a real conversation about her thoughts and feelings, and we both got to know each other in a more meaningful way. A smile never left my face for the rest of the day. And since last Friday, I’ve kept smiling. Brianna has sent me emails on a daily basis saying how excited she is for this week and how she can’t wait to see me. I am so thrilled with the direction in which our relationship is going, and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Choose to do Something for the Good of Others

By Laura S., Big Sister, University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2008

Being a Big has truly changed my college experience for the better. Going to CPA every week is such a welcome escape from Penn. Penn can feel like such a bubble sometimes, and knowing that I have a purpose off campus helps to remind me that there is a world outside of Penn. Seeing my Little Brianna’s smile when I arrive at her afterschool program makes me forget about all the homework, papers, and tests that I have waiting for me back at my house. The hour I spend with her running around the playground, tackling computer games, or painting pictures is one of the most relaxing, fun hours of my week. It’s so refreshing to be around a little girl who wants to talk about four square and spelling tests rather than job applications and LSATs. I wouldn’t trade my hour with Brianna for anything.

Being a mentor for a young girl and realizing the impact that I’ve had on her life, has made me reevaluate what I want to do after I graduate. I really feel as if I have made a difference in Brianna’s life, and knowing that is so fulfilling. Whatever job I end up having after I graduate, I know that I want it to directly affect others in a positive way. Brianna has learned a lot from me, but at the same time I have learned so much from her, and I feel as though my own life, as well as the lives of people in need, will be better off if I choose to do something for the good of others.

By Laura S., Big Sister, University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2008

Last Friday was my first time meeting with my Little Sister, Brianna since April. I was so excited to go back to the Caring People Alliance (CPA) and hang out with her, especially since she had emailed me saying that Friday was her birthday! However, I was also pretty nervous. Five months is a long time for a ten year old! What if she forgot what I looked like or didn’t really care that I was coming to see her? We had emailed a few times over the summer, but there’s always that chance that she had changed or I had changed, and we would no longer be a good match. Fortunately this was not the case! As soon as I walked into the Big Brothers Big Sisters room, I heard a very loud, “Laura!!!!!,” from across the room. Brianna sprinted towards me and gave me a huge hug.

We instantly started talking about our summers, how our school years are going, and just basically catching up. I had really missed her and BBBS in general. I had forgotten how much fun it is to play like a little kid for an hour. I had forgotten how good it makes me feel when Brianna smiles. I had forgotten how wonderful of a little girl Brianna is. In the first few minutes that I was back at CPA, I remembered all of those things and why I love going to see her each week.

I had brought Brianna a few small presents for her birthday and made her a card, which she loved! She kept asking her friends if they had seen what I had brought for her, and she just walked around with a huge smile on her face. To see her so happy was just an awesome experience. For the rest of the hour, we played with this weird foam made up of tiny dots that you can mold into any shape you want. I really wish that foam existed when I was little – it was so cool to play with! Brianna and I both love arts and crafts, so the hour just flew by as we goofed around making funny objects out of the foam.

All in all, it was a great day, and I am so glad that the program has started up again!