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Give a Break

Give a Break

You’ve defrosted your fridge, passed your exams (fingers crossed) and said your goodbyes. Yes, break is finally here, and whether it’s a couple weeks for Christmas or three glorious months of summertime, there is always the question of what you’ll do while you’re not in school.

  • It can be tempting to fill this odd time window with TV shows, road trips and home-cooked meals, but consider using your vacation for a greater cause. There are a number of service and missions opportunities to keep you busy and make a difference while you’re waiting for the next semester to start.
  • If you’ve landed a summer job, congratulations! But there are still many community projects that take only a day or two. Sign up for updates from your local Habitat for Humanity, which accept volunteers of various skill levels on short notice for their construction sites.
  • Maybe you swore off books after finals, but consider becoming a reading mentor in the afternoons. Daycares, libraries and summer schools often use summer reading programs to connect college students with inner-city schoolchildren.
  • Only have a week off? Adventures in Missions is an organization that offers short-term missions trips specifically for brief college breaks. International and local trips can be as short as five days. Check out Adventures.org for trip details.
  • Remember­: not everyone has the option of going home for the holidays. During Thanksgiving or Christmas, volunteer to serve meals and build relationships at a local shelter or soup kitchen.

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