Living on the NYU Abu Dhabi campus has its benefits. As students we are close to our classrooms, with dining and recreation just a short walk away. While we bury ourselves under homework and projects, we sometimes lose sight of how daily conveniences and necessities like books, food, and general supplies make their way to us.

More than 90 percent of world trade is transported by sea, and seafarers spend many months offshore with only their crewmates for companionship. Volunteering to wrap and distribute care packages for these seafarers at the Abu Dhabi port was a way to give back, as well as a reminder to be grateful for things we may take for granted.

In early May when the seafarers arrived on shore, 17 NYUAD students and staff, together with students from the British International School, were able to express gratitude to 200 of the 1.5 million men and women who not only keep the global economy afloat, but also make our lives more convenient. Through Angel Appeal — a project by The Mission to Seafarers organization — we gave out packages containing snacks, toiletries, phone cards to call their loved ones, and card games to make their evenings pass by a little faster.

When one of the seafarers shyly admitted that it was the first time anybody had ever thanked him for his work, we knew that we were onto something right.

This is not the first time NYUAD has supported this organization.