Servicing Others
THE BEST WAY TO MEET WOMEN, BUILD UP YOUR RESUME, AND HAVE SOME FUN THIS SUMMER IS TO VOLUNTEER. SERIOUSLY!

Want to “make a difference”? Got nothing to do this summer except some lousy job/internship [hi, CO-ED!]? Why not use your time off and do something positive for the world? There are hundreds of volunteer opportunities available for bright young college kids, and some of them are, well, downright cool.
There are other advantages to proffering your services. First and foremost, your resume will kick butt. Then there’s the girl factor: starting a conversation with the phrase like, “This summer, while I was building huts in Costa Rica…” is sure to grab any women’s attention. Not mine, but other girls. Anyway, try one of these out:

Snowboard Outreach Society
Extreme sports and altruism, what a combo! Volunteers for this organization, started in 1993, teach underprivileged kids and teens to snowboard. And don’t worry about finding a good location; SOS programs are scattered throughout the country. (www.sosoutreach.org)

Globe Aware
If helping the world is more than a hobby that a lifestyle, you might want to check out these one – to – two week programs offered up by Globe Aware. This cultural awareness organization offers excursions to countries such as Cuba, Nepal, Thailand, and Peru. One of our most popular programs for students, “The Road Less Traveled Village Experience” in Costa Rica, places volunteers amid a lush rainforest where they help make areas more accessible to tourist. And its not roughing it: the program offers comfortable living conditions with beds, showers, and furnished “cabinas.” Hey, it beats your fraternity house.
(www.globeawre.org)

Mountain Mentors
Each summer, juvenile offenders are taken to the White Mountains for a weeklong hiking/backpacking trip. These kids need mentors, which is where you come in. The goal of this program is to help the troubled youth establish trust and overcome the emotional and physical obstacles in their lives. (www.mountainmentors.org)