Being involved in RAG was one of my favourite parts of university. From my first time bucket-shaking as a new volunteer to being a fully-fledged member of the RAG committee in my final year, I have lots of fun memories where I felt truly rewarded by what I was a part of.

Here’s my rundown of the 8 most rewarding reasons to be involved with RAG. Let me know your top reasons in the comments below!

     1. Knowing you made a difference.

The desire to make an impact is one of the main reasons people join RAG. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that you’ve contributed to raising thousands of pounds for a charity you care about.

     2. The friends you’ll make.

Because everyone involved in RAG is so keen to make positive changes to the world, it’s no surprise that they’re all really nice people! I made some great friends through RAG. Now, even after university, I have a whole network of people I know who share common interests with me.

     3. The CV-boosting experience.

I got my first graduate job because of my involvement with RAG. Being part of a university society develops your skill set in a way that stands you apart from other job applicants. You’ll have so much more to talk about in an interview and your employer will be super impressed.

    4. How much your organisational skills will improve.

Good time management becomes second nature to anyone involved with RAG. In my third year, I was organising a charity Christmas Fair and trying to write a dissertation at the same time. You learn how to prioritise and work efficiently, which really helps you out in whatever job you work in after university.

    5. The confidence you’ll gain.

Anyone on a RAG committee will know that you develop the confidence to be able to talk to just about anyone. RAG gives you the chance to work with local businesses, fellow students, members of university staff, charity representatives and the local community. If you can strike up a conversation with people in the street and convince them to donate some money to your bucket, you’ll probably be comfortable talking in any situation.

    6. The social life.

A massive part of RAG is the fun that everyone has while fundraising. Going on socials and running events with my team was such a big part of the university experience. Southampton RAG were even lucky enough to win an Excellence in Volunteering Award the year that I was on the committee, so you never know what kind of fancy events RAG will lead you to!

    7. The preparation for office life.

Although being on a RAG committee is a lot of fun, there’s also a big admin side to it. RAG was my first taste of sitting in meetings, taking minutes, and completing my actions in time for the next meeting. It was also the first time that I had managed other people and led a team. All of these experiences meant that my transition from university student to full-time working graduate was much smoother.

    8. The free merchandise.

Last but not least, being a part of RAG seems to mean you’ll be stocked up for life with an endless supply of red t-shirts. Who doesn’t love a t-shirt with their own name on it?

These days, technology is making it even easier for RAG students to fundraise. Remember that you can now raise even more money for your chosen RAG charities with GoRaise. Find out how to get started and take advantage of free fundraising whenever you and your friends shop online.