From PLAY to UCLA to Amazon: What Volunteering (Really) Teaches You

Lessons from Bill Li on flexibility, empathy, college reality, and finding your path

When you ask a former PLAY co-president what stuck with him most, Bill Li doesn’t reach for trophies or titles—he talks about flexibility. Teaching PLAY Math or running service events rarely went according to plan, he says, and that constant improvisation became a superpower: adapt, adjust, keep moving. It smoothed his transition to college, reshaped how he studies, and even helped him land a software internship at Amazon.

“It’s good in general to be able to work out whatever life throws at you.”

Volunteering: A habit, not a checkbox

Bill volunteered widely—PLAY, CSF, and school programs—and credits service with two durable gains:

• Empathy & perspective. “Step outside your own experience.” A simple rule that changes how you treat people and how you approach problems.

• Purposeful leadership. Coordinating teams, managing time, and setting priorities when the goal is shared but the path isn’t.

One moment that still stands out: during COVID, Bill joined PLAY volunteers distributing food and supplies at South Bay encampments. The point wasn’t just the handoff—it was conversation. Listening. Seeing hardship up close turned “the community” into neighbors and reframed what impact looks like.

Getting into PLAY (and why it sticks)

Bill first encountered PLAY at an All-Hands meeting. What pulled him in was simple: peers his age already doing the work—teaching, organizing, showing up. That social proof matters. It’s also why he supports school service requirements: hours get you in the door; the work itself shows you where you belong.

“There are so many kinds of volunteering. If one thing doesn’t fit, there’s something else that will.”

High school vs. college: same values, different game

The jump surprised him. College is freer—you choose your classes, friends, and how often you show up—but also faster and harder (quarter system = 10 weeks, two midterms, then finals). Cramming the night before stops working. What works:

• Learn continuously. Don’t let small confusions stack.

• Ask early. Office hours, TAs, friends—use them.

• Study with people. Shared struggle accelerates understanding.

He laughs at a common myth: “This won’t fly in college.” In reality, college is “what you make of it.” You can coast—and feel it later. Or you can lean in and grow.

The internship grind (and how Bill navigated it)

No fairy tale here. Freshman summer, he struck out on internships but secured research through a fast-track program—a crucial foothold. Sophomore year, he took a not-perfect-fit power-industry internship—experience over ego. All the while, he prepped interviews, applied early and often, and handled rejection like weather. By junior year, interviews clicked; he chose Amazon for the summer.

Takeaways:

• Start early (applications open sooner than you think).

• Log reps (projects, research, internships—any door in).

• Don’t worship the “perfect” first role. Momentum beats mythology.

Redefining success

In high school, success = grades, tests, awards (and yes, that can matter). In college, the definition widens: experience, projects, relationships, and fit. For some peers, the north star is FAANG. For Bill, it’s drifting toward electrical engineering because the problems feel richer. The lesson isn’t the destination; it’s permission to change your mind and pursue depth.

“Success is what you define it to be—and how you push yourself toward it.”

Practical study tips Bill wishes he’d known sooner

• Build on rock, not sand. If one concept is shaky, the next three will wobble. Fix it now.

• Teach to learn. Explaining a topic to a friend (or a younger student) exposes gaps fast.

• Schedule honesty. In a 10-week quarter, a “small” slip becomes a slide. Block time early.

Advice to high schoolers (and their parents)

• Say yes to more experiences—clubs, service, projects, chances to meet different people.

• Protect your foundations. Math, writing, and one technical skill (coding, lab work, design) create option value later.

• Enjoy it. The point isn’t to avoid every mistake; it’s to learn quickly and keep going.

The through-line: flexibility + empathy

Bill’s story isn’t about a perfect plan. It’s about showing up, listening well, adjusting fast, and letting service shape your instincts. Those habits make you a better teammate, student, and colleague—and they scale.

“Opportunities won’t come to you. You have to go to them. Take it on the chin, learn, move on.”

If PLAY gave Bill one lasting gift, it’s the confidence that small actions matter—and that the skills you practice for a Saturday event can carry you through a midterm, an interview, and whatever comes next.