Aniya Wells is one of the most passionate writers you'll ever meet. Though her writing interests run the gamut – from personal finance to health to current events and more – her primary interest is modern higher education. She serves as a reliable online degree guide for students by contributing for www.onlinedegreeprograms.com blog. Don't hesitate to contact Aniya for questions or comments at aniyawells@gmail.com.

If you are currently a college student, chances are that you've been involved in volunteering efforts in one way or another for some time now. You've learned from first-hand experience how rewarding it can be to give back to your community and give of yourself to those in need. As graduation approaches, however, you'll be beset by the anxieties of the real world – finding a job, supporting yourself, paying bills and more. While it's almost expected that college students volunteer, among young professionals, it's usually put on the backburner. After I graduated from college, I personally stopped volunteering – not because I didn't want to, but because I couldn't find the time. It wasn't until almost a year later that I realized volunteering must be prioritized. You must make the time. Here's how I did it, and how you can, too.

1. Volunteer with friends who will encourage you to keep at it.

In college, you were probably involved with volunteer efforts that also involved a social group. Volunteer opportunities in college are often set up to be activities that gather students who are, or if not eventually will become, friends. When you get out into the real world, you have to seek out volunteer opportunities, and it can be hard to stick with it if you don't have friends who are likewise involved. Of course, you can stand to make many friends through a post-college volunteer opportunity. If you have friends who are also interested in volunteering, get together and decide on volunteer activities that you can do together. Or, if you have a significant other, volunteering together is a great way to bond and spend time with each other.  This way, you'll be more motivated to stick with it.

1. Volunteer for an organization whose contributions are most needed during the weekends.

When I first started volunteering after college, I picked an after-school mentoring program that needed volunteers for a few hours after the school day. I had chosen this particular program because it was very similar to a program I volunteered with in college. After finding full-time employment, however, I couldn't keep up my commitment. One thing college students don't often realize is that a full-time job, even if it's not as challenging as some of your classes in school, can be completely draining. The nine-to-five or six- schedule can leave you exhausted when the day is done, and participating in a volunteer effort right after will, after some time, seem like a chore. And there's nothing worse than making volunteering something you feel compelled to do instead of something you feel inspired to do. When I realized the weekday volunteering just didn't work for me, I joined a literacy organization that helped adult immigrants learn English. Most classes were over the weekends, which gave me plenty of time and energy to put my all into it. Once you find full-time employment, I highly recommend volunteering mostly on weekends or the occasional weekday evening to avoid burnout.

1. Don't overload your schedule.

For whatever reason, overloading yourself with activities in college always seems to somehow magically work. After I graduated from college, I was absolutely stunned by how overwhelmed I would become when faced by a several tasks and to-dos at once. In college, I felt that I could juggle anything and everything. I can't quite explain why the change happened, but I do know that, in order to keep up with volunteering, it's important to not overload your schedule. Learn to say no to some activities to make room for others. Time is precious, especially when you work all day at least five days a week. Use your time wisely, and leave some room to relax.

1. Practice organization skills.

In college, I was probably the least organized person I knew. While it’s possible to get through college with good grades while still being something of a mess, it becomes harder and harder as you grow older. Often, whenever we think we just don't have time for anything, it's likely that we are wasting more time than we think. Don't ever think of yourself as simply a disorganized person. Know that organizational skills can be practiced and improved. When you have a clean and tidy apartment and office, when you commit to spending a specified amount of time on various necessary tasks, instead of putting things off for the last minute, you'll have oodles more free time to spend volunteering.

Volunteering is, and hopefully will always be, a big part of my life. There's nothing quite like spending your time doing something, anything, for the greater good. But volunteering after college, in my opinion, is 10 times more important than volunteering when you were in college. What with all the stresses of adult life, volunteering helps keep you sane. Good luck!