Do you ever find yourself sitting around on a school day, when you’re the only one in your friends group who doesn’t have class, wondering how you could kill some time? November 4-6, the University is hosting a blood drive that gives students and faculty the opportunity to take an hour or so out of their day to help someone in need by simply sitting in a chair. Donating blood is one of the easiest and least painful ways to impact the lives of people in ways that we could barely imagine.

Jac Cochran, a junior and exercise physiology major, arrived right as the doors opened to the blood drive on Monday afternoon. Being “active and healthy with plenty of blood to donate,” he has donated over ten times. And because he is blood type O negative, his blood can be given to anyone who needs it. Jac is also an EMT, so donating blood has never scared him or made him nervous since he regularly takes blood as a part of his work.

Hallie Schechter, a sophomore nursing student, also participated in the blood drive this Monday. She has donated blood over eight times, including donating platelets once, simply “because [she] can.” Platelet donations are especially beneficial to blood recipients because a single platelet donation can provide as many therapeutic treatments (or more, in some cases) as four to six whole blood donations. Donating blood has never made Hallie nervous either, especially when there is the incentive to beat FSU in UM’s annual “Battle for the Bucket.”

So, if you find a spare hour (or two, if you want to donate platelets) before Wednesday, November 6, head over to the SAC Ballrooms to donate blood. Get some free snacks, a free t-shirt (because what do UM students love more than free t-shirts?), and the satisfaction of knowing that you helped someone in need. Plus, it gives you an excuse to skip the gym for the day, and who doesn’t love that?

words_erin fischer. photo_raquel zaldivar.