More and more students are having to go to work while furthering their education to ease the financial burden of rising tuition costs. Here are some of the struggles and triumphs they go through.
1. You Have Zero Free Time
No, I can't go on a spontaneous movie date; I have a shift right after this. If I'm out too late I won't be able to make my early shift.
2. You Have Worn Your Uniform to Class
Since you have zero free time, you probably use what little you have for cat naps, and eating. So it's no shame for you to show up in your work attire to class. Plus, if you have a retail or office job you rarely show up to class in your pajamas anymore.
3. You Often Miss Out On Your Friend Group's Drama
Which can be a good thing. You stay on good terms with most of them, mostly because you are in the dark about who is feuding with who. You still stay in touch with them through social media though. Thank goodness for Snapchat.
4. If You Don't Plan Days With Your Friends They Will Be Busy
Everyone gets so used to you being busy they sometimes forget to invite you. So you have to go all out planning in advance. Setting reminders on their phones, making sure you have spare cash, asking off weeks in advance, and no co-worker I can not cover your shift.
5. Your Co-Workers Love To Hear About The Few College Stories You Do Have
Your work friends will either enjoy relating to you or living vicariously through you. Plus, it's always great to have that one friend you get to talk to at work in between tasks.
6. "Why Don't You Just Quit If You Hate Your Job?" -Oblivious Friend
Besides enjoying paying bills and eating, I do enjoy this job enough to stay. However, I talk about it all the time because it's basically my entire life.
7. You Bring A Little Bit Of Work Home With You
No matter if it's now you neatly folding shirts or making your plate look good enough for Instagram you can't help bringing something you've learned from work into your life.
8. You Are Excellent At Naps
You inevitably go out too late some nights or, heaven forbid, pull an all-nighter. So in between classes, you catch up on sleep. If you don't you'll mostly likely snap on a customer, and you don't feel like updating your resume.
9. You Are Great At Budgeting
Since you're having to pay bills and earn your dollars, you have a tendency cling on to them more, You'd take independence over upgrading your smartphone with every latest installment anyways.
10. You Feel Much More Prepared for Life After College
Unlike coming to college where you were excited about all of this new independence, you've gotten a taste of the stress of the real world. You may not be fully independent of your parents, but you're a step ahead of those who chose not to put their nose to grind like you. Now go get paid.