Does the volunteer work have to be in Pima County? Do you have any way to get access to a vehicle for a weekend or such? Just thinking off the top of my head, I have a few ideas of places that might be able to use someone on short notice swirling about, but they’re all probably a 60-90 minute drive away from Tucson.
You can’t find even ten dollars for the bus? (I’m guessing that’s what it would be, if it’s a dollar each way, and you take it for a couple of days.) I’m totally broke, but if it came down to scrounging up a few dollars and going to jail, I think I could find the money. Can you sell back any of your textbooks early, photocopying the pages you need for finals? Got a place in town that buys old CDs? Know anyone in your dorm who will buy your old crap? Ten dollars isn’t that much, it’s not as if you need plane fare.
Volunteer work can often be harder to find than paying work. Earlier this year, when I wasn’t working, I tried like hell to find a part-time volunteer gig just to get myself out of the house and get a positive recommendation for my resume (and, you know, help people). I couldn’t find anything. Granted, I really only called around to places I wanted to work (since I’m not doing work I don’t enjoy if I’m not getting paid for it), but I found it really hard to believe that they don’t need anyone at the library to shelve books or read to kids, or at the animal shelter, or at the food bank. I guess it’s a good thing that there’s so many people volunteering, but it made me feel really worthless, like I wasn’t even good enough to get a non-paying job.
I just helped put on a big day-long conference at a university. The university has a community service requirement, so we had a bunch of students as volunteers. They sure came in handy. They manned the registration table, hung up posters, helped people find their way around, and did all sorts of general go-fer work. Why don’t you take a look on your university’s calendar and see if there are any events coming up, then contact the department running the event, and see if they could use you. They might not have thought of asking for volunteers, but would love to have your help.
Looks like Wingspan is within walking distance (one block further than the smoke shop I used to frequent, ironically enough). It’s definitely up my alley; I’m not LGBT myself, although I was a member of my high school’s GSA and I couldn’t think of anything better to do with these 12 hours than to further the cause of progressiveness. I left a message there, and tomorrow I’ll drop by during hours. Thanks, lel!
I don’t think my community service has to be in Pima County, BTW, but it’s finals time and I need to be at school.
Excalibre, I appreciate the concern, although as I’ve never had a problem slowing down or ceasing use, I haven’t really lost any sleep over the issue.
This is pretty productive for a Pit thread–I was pretty frustrated when I posted the OP, but I’m getting a lot of great ideas from you guys. Thanks, everyone. Looks like I should be able to do this.
U dudn
I must be high…that makes no sense to me.
That being one of my more incomprehensible posts ever, I’ll try again, and this time with my fingers on the right keys!
I didn’t mean to say you were necessarily heading down the dark path to destruction. Just that it’s a good idea to be a little careful; everyone with ADD has a stronger potential for addiction (as they’re both related to basic problems with impulse control) and marijuana poses a particular problem for ADD folks. It’s not as though you can’t use it, but be aware that you’re just naturally more likely to find yourself using too much.
Addiction sneaks up on you, and frankly, smoking in public is probably not a good sign, since it indicates that you may tend not to make good decisions about drugs. I’m not saying you have to quit; I’m trying to give you some information that will help you be a responsible drug user. You do need to take particular care because marijuana has a higher addiction potential for you than it does for other people. That’s all I’m saying.
I couldn’t very well say ADDers shouldn’t use marijuana; I myself indulge on occasion.
Again, I very much appreciate the concern. I’ve always considered myself responsible, and I do give some thought to what I’m doing, how much, when, why and (now more so than before that fateful day) where. I think of the incident as a lesson.
So, did you contact them? Any luck getting some volunteer time in?
Just so you don’t feel left out – IF YOU HAD BEEN A REGULAR VOLUNTEER FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, YOU WOULDN’T BE IN THE PICKLE YOU ARE IN RIGHT NOW! There. Now your pitting is complete. 
More seriously, though, drop by your student union office, for odds are they will know of someone who could use your assistance, or might be able to make use of you themselves. Hope it works out for you.
And who knows, perhaps you might end up volunteering for the long term!
Can you do your volunteer work with the local branch of NORML?
Yeah, I went down there today and filled out a form. They said they’d call me on Monday. That kind of pushes things a little tight, but it’s something. The library was a no-go.
I did talk to MrVisible, BTW. He said he loved his time there, although he hasn’t been able to volunteer there recently as he’s on a graveyard shift these days and doesn’t tend to see daylight too often (his words). He also described his work there as “an excellent use of my time”. He also says “I have absolutely nothing bad to say about the organization” and compliments them heavily.
Good idea. I shall.
It’s fairly likely I will end up volunteering long-term at Wingspan. It seems like a great organization.
Huh. There’s an idea I hadn’t thought of. I guess I can give it a shot.
But you can afford a computer… or pay for net time at a local café.
fetus:
Try emailing Hentor the Barbarian: he’s a clinical psychologist who conducts research on ADHD and ADD. He’s also a regular here.
On the down side, I’m guessing that research on the specific effects of marijuana use on ADD patients is probably pretty limited. You might want to consider modifying your topic somewhat.
I don’t know of a university in the US that doesn’t have free student computer labs with free internet access.
Just sayin’.
And many now require the student own a PC (usually, the ones that require it that I’ve seen specify a laptop - I’ll know a little more in a year or so when it is time for my son to start applying).
This caught my eye from Fetus’s article:
So who’s the little narc that ratted you out and has anyone pounded the crap out of him yet?
(Sweet Jeezus, **Fetus **if *you *were the narc, just lie. Please. You will get SO trounced here for it!)
Oh, yeah, add my name to the chorus calling for that asshole’s beheading.