As I begin to consider my AmeriCorps NCCC experience in earnest, there are several things that strike me about this program. Of course, there’s the discipline and routine that will probably be as close to military service as I ever find myself. There’s also the extreme amount of flexibility associated with the location of spikes and the possibility that our whole routine may be turned upside down at the drop of a hat as we respond to a disaster. You definitely have to be a certain kind of person to enjoy that sort of experience… It’s too early to KNOW that I’ll enjoy it, but I have a pretty good feeling that AmeriCorps NCCC is not only “right up my alley” … it’s actually the perfect program for me.
Perhaps the MOST striking part of this program that is likely to take many people by surprise is the aspect of group living that is dominant in nearly every step of this process. Group living is a lifestyle unlike any other, and one that very few people in my generation have experienced. It involves not only the sacrifice of personal time, space, and boundaries, but also a willingness to act in a way that is best for the group at all times. This means that there should be no stragglers, picky eaters, or people who insist on highlighting their more odious qualities. We are all a little quirky, but to get along in a group living situation, we must be content to be the most likable part of ourselves as much as possible.
Let me highlight some of the key complications realties of group living.
1. Less personal time and space. Very few opportunities to be quiet and peaceful, curl up with a good book, sleep in, or go off on your own.
2. Less time for personal hygiene. Shorter showers, very little time alone in the bathroom, less time for primping and applying makeup.
3. Less choice in food for meals. Group cooking involves making things that are easy, inexpensive, and pleasing to everyone. I think one of the best ways to go about this is to cook in partners and let everyone have “control” over one meal each week.
4. Less choice in how you spend your time. Group living is very time-consuming. It usually take a group two hours to get ready in the morning, when there are limited bathroom resources and people move at a variety of speeds. Then, you must always wait for the whole group at a store or to leave on any trip. You might think group cooking is easier, but it is actually sort of complicated, and everyone must be willing to pitch-in. By the time you wake up earlier, work all day, and cook each dinner, very little time remains that is your own.
All this is not to say that group living is miserable. I quite enjoy it. My first experience with group living was on an SCA Trail Crew in high school. There were six students and two co-leaders all living together in the woods. Three people shared each tent, and we each had a different job to do each day. For instance, one day I would be in charge of fetching water and the next cooking. I actually enjoyed this first experience enough that I participated for a second summer with a different team. I consider SCA to be my jumping-off point for every other significant service experience that I have ever had. To say that SCA changed my life forever is an understatement.
I also participated in several group living experiences in college, as both a leader (over three annual Spring Break weeks in three different east coast states) and a follower (on dozens of class and weekend field trips with the Geology Department and six weeks of extended field trips over two summers). When I really sat down and thought about it, this means that I have experienced about four months of actual group living in the past six years. That may not sound like much, but I’m pretty sure it’s more than most people that I know.
Now you may say to yourself, “sure I’ve been a part of that much group living – and then some!” But I’m here to tell you that there is no substitute for the kind of group living that I’m talking about, and a lot of more common experiences simply don’t measure up. Family vacations aren’t group living, because you are intimately acquainted. Group living is about overcoming the differences that people from various upbringings have to cope with. Dorm life – in college, boarding school, or summer camp – is not group living. You may share a bathroom and a community fridge, but you’re on your own schedule and you’re able to “get away” from everything if you need to. Camping is a kind of group living, so girl- and boy-scout trips would count. Extended road trips with more than four people are also pretty close to group living.
I’m not writing this to suggest that group living is either scary or miserable. However, I do think group living is a bit of a shock to the system, particularly if you’ve never experienced it before. I’m sure that group living for nine months in a row will shock and exhaust me, despite the fact that I have some idea of what to expect.
The main mantra for group living, however, is to “expect the unexpected.” Every group living situation I have been a part of has been completely different. One year, we bought and used 16 dozen eggs and ate bagels like they were going out of style. Another year, we had so many bags of left-over bagels and barely ate eggs at all. This is because in a small group, the dynamic is so heavily influenced by each individual that you never know what to expect. Still, the best thing to do is to stay positive, be flexible, and make the most of such a unique bonding experience.
Did I mention that some of my very closest friends have come from shared group living experiences? Definitely looking forward to more of that in NCCC!
Lost in the Service of Others 