The Truth About HOBY Volunteers | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

9 Things All HOBY Volunteers Know To Be True

No, those clean shirts weren't dropped off by the laundry fairy.

525
9 Things All HOBY Volunteers Know To Be True
Oliver Asis

In This Article:

Every year since 2014 when I was an ambassador at HOBY PA-East and the World Leadership Congress, I've returned to the organization as a volunteer. Putting on a HOBY seminar is truly a feat. It takes a full year of planning to put on one weekend-long seminar and even longer to plan the WLC, a week-long gathering for over 400 students from across the globe.

The HOBY experience is something unique. If you know, you know. There isn't a need to explain. But what is it like being on the other side? What's it like to come back again and again? After volunteering at five seminars, I felt like it was time to spill the beans.

I asked people from all over the country to speak the truth about volunteering for HOBY. Here's what they had to say:

1. The HOBY Hangover is real.

Giphy

When you go to HOBY, you're out of office, off the grid, incognito, whatever you want to call it. You have a very limited amount of time to very literally change the lives of high school sophomores, so the rest of the world gets put on hold.

But then you have to come back. And you jump headfirst into "normal" life after being cut off from the world. Suddenly, you have more concerns than, "Did I lose an ambassador?" Nope. It's back to adulting.

2. Don't expect to sleep.

Giphy

When you're an ambassador, things just happen. Programming events are set up. T-shirts are washed. Food magically appears. Buses are there to pick you up. Who makes that happen? Your volunteer staff. And when do they do it? After bed checks.

While you're snug as a bug in a rug after your long day, HOBY staff is up late prepping for the next day's activities. Don't ask us how we have the energy to yell and cheer and act like we got 12 hours of sleep each night. We just channel the HOBY magic.

But then again, don't try to contact us in the first 48 hours after the seminar. We will absolutely be asleep.

3. Your voice WILL be gone.

Giphy

Volunteers have to set the example and be the hype from the second you arrive in the hopes that you'll catch on. You ask us to shake our booties every five seconds.We think everything is outstanding. We tell you that you can't ride in our little red wagons. Whether it's three days or seven, we have to keep the hype train going. And if that means sacrificing our voices, we are more than happy to do so.

4. Swag. Out.

Giphy

Some of us go so hard that we get pulled over by TSA because they don't understand why we have so much candy in our bags and why all of our clothes are one color. We love leis, beads, bandanas, and tutus and we'll make sure that we have enough to share with every single one of our ambassadors.

Bonus points if you have a different hat for every day or a bright yellow suit to wear for the gala.

5. It isn't our seminar or our ambassador year.

Giphy

No HOBY seminar is the same. Things will change from year to year. People come and go. Some ambassadors come back as staff, some don't. But we are here for you. We had our time to learn and grow. Not it's our turn to give that back to you.

6. We LOVE a flatsheet.

Giphy

When's the bathroom break? What time is dinner? Is 4:23 an appropriate time to introduce a speaker? We have 5 minutes to move 400 people across campus while factor in the 90 seconds it takes for the light to change? Got it.

Flatsheet or Bible? You decide.

7. We don't just change you. You change us.

Giphy

The weekend doesn't just change the student, it also helps the volunteers find something within themselves. It's amazing every year to hear what the ambassadors have to say and understand how they see the world. Ambassadors give us the renewed hope that the world is in safe hands, even if what we see in the news terrifies us.

8. The facilitators are the faces you see, but there are so many people behind the scenes that you don't.

Giphy

There are people that plan every second of the seminar, down to the minute. That's your programming team. There are people that make sure you move from space to space and that every little detail is taken care of, down to making sure you safely cross the street. That's your operations team. There are people who do things without asking, "Why?" because they know the answer will always be, "the ambassadors." That's your alumni team. You can't always see them, but I promise they're there.

We put our all into HOBY because we love what we do. We love watching the ambassadors "get it." We love seeing the changes that happen, the friendships that form, and the way ambassadors are empowered to lead and excel. And every single person is proud to play just a small role in that.

9. We want to know, "What are you going to do with this?"

Giphy

Stay in touch. Shoot us a text or a DM if you need anything. The HOBY experience doesn't stop when the seminar does. Life with HOBY is a very real thing, and if you're willing to have us, we would love to be a part of it.

Some people stay with HOBY just their ambassador year. Some stay for 20. Some become seminar chairs. Some work with alumni. But all of those people are a vital part of the HOBY experience.

The HOBY network is global for a reason. Someone out there has an idea of what they're going to do with this, and all of us are ready on the sidelines waiting to help you achieve your full potential.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Kardashians
W Magazine

Whether you love them or hate them, it's undeniable the Kardashian/ Jenner family has built an enormous business empire. Ranging from apps, fashion lines, boutiques, beauty products, books, television shows, etc. this bunch has shown they are insane business moguls. Here are seven reasons why the Kardashian/ Jenner family should be applauded for their intelligent business tactics.

Keep Reading...Show less
friends
Photo by Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

If I have learned one thing in my lifetime, it is that friends are a privilege. No one is required to give you their company and yet there is some sort of shared connection that keeps you together. And from that friendship, you may even find yourself lucky enough to have a few more friends, thus forming a group. Here are just a few signs that prove your current friend group is the ultimate friend group.

Keep Reading...Show less
ross and monica
FanPop

When it comes to television, there’s very few sets of on-screen siblings that a lot of us can relate to. Only those who have grown up with siblings knows what it feels like to fight, prank, and love a sibling. Ross and Monica Geller were definitely overbearing and overshared some things through the series of "Friends," but they captured perfectly what real siblings feel in real life. Some of their antics were funny, some were a little weird but all of them are completely relatable to brothers and sisters everywhere.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Types Of Sorority Girls

Who really makes up your chapter...

3007
Sorority Girls
Owl Eyes Magazine

College is a great place to meet people, especially through Greek life. If you look closely at sororities, you'll quickly see there are many different types of girls you will meet.

1. The Legacy.

Her sister was a member, her mom was a member, all of her aunts were members, and her grandma was a member. She has been waiting her whole life to wear these letters and cried hysterically on bid day. Although she can act entitled at times, you can bet she is one of the most enthusiastic sisters.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

10 Reasons Why Life Is Better In The Summertime

Winter blues got you down? Summer is just around the corner!

2592
coconut tree near shore within mountain range
Photo by Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

Every kid in college and/or high school dreams of summer the moment they walk through the door on the first day back in September. It becomes harder and harder to focus in classes and while doing assignments as the days get closer. The winter has been lagging, the days are short and dark, and no one is quite themselves due to lack of energy and sunlight. Let's face it: life is ten times better in the summertime.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments