We all know that college students are busy. Between classes, internships, social activities, etc., it’s almost confusing how they find the time to maintain the position of also being the biggest partiers whose lives younger people aspire to live and older generations are nostalgic for. College, in many ways, is truly a wonderful period of life and there are so many reasons I would encourage anyone and everyone to attend. However, college in this day and age is also not cheap, so this article goes out to all those students who missed out on the trust fund thing and are instead working through their college years. Here is a little list of things that all working college students can likely relate to.
1) Doing laundry is quite low on the list of priorities.
When you go from school to work, to home to do homework, doing laundry often falls to last place on your never-ending to-do list. However luckily your work friends will never judge you for having the same stain on your shirt the last three days in a row, because they know that until you’re not gagging while doing the smell check to see if your clothes are wearable, they are in fact wearable.
2) You could graduate with a second major, if juggling commitments were a degree.
When you are going to school full-time, and working, and keeping up with everything it takes to be a successful college student, friend, family member, etc., you are basically a superhero at keeping everything in line. Some days you feel as if you almost function on autopilot because you have no idea how you remembered to be at the 10 different places you needed to be while also completing the five different tasks you needed to complete and now your head is spinning just thinking about it all but hey, you did it.
3) Despite #2, you are incredibly scatter-brained and forgetful.
When you have as many things going on as a working college does, the other aspects of your life become humorous to others. Talking to anyone after pulling a 12 hour day between school and work and having to have your attention focused on certain tasks the entire time becomes incredibly humorous. You find yourself saying ridiculous things, forgetting to wear socks, being late to anything that your future is not dependent on, starting a text and realizing three days later you never sent it, forgetting to brush your hair, etc. Although you are balancing more things than most people your age do, you also become the perfect person to laugh at when the struggle is real.
4) Your diet ranges from Olympic medalist to couch-potato stoner who thinks pizza rolls are a major food group.
Because you are balancing so much, and your education has hopefully provided you some beginner tools on the importance of nutrition, you know how to fuel your body to get through the long days. Often times, you eat big balanced meals when you find the time, and you feel like a superhero for being healthy on top of everything else you’ve accomplished that day. However, when the tips are bad, or it’s three days until payday, or you spent your grocery money on a flat tire, or you just worked an 11 hour shift after a week full of exams and projects, you know what it’s like to consume food in ways your mother would have your ass for if she were to witness it. Pizza delivery, pitchers of beer and wings, chips, biscuits for breakfast, fried everything, if it’s unhealthy and readily available, you’re eating it. There seems to be no middle grounds for the working college student’s lifestyle, but when did we ever do things in moderation? ;)
5) Coffee is life.
Last but certainly not least, you basically live for that next cup of coffee somedays. You find yourself unable to imagine a day without coffee, and you don't know how anyone could ever live without such a precious nectar of the gods. You agree to pick up a coworkers shift for a free coffee (*cough*), you would rather be late than show up un-caffeinated, and coffee stains on your (unwashed) clothes have become a part of your individual style. Coffee is everything, and you will never let it down.
Although I could go on, I’ll leave you with that for now. And to all you working students out there, despite that constant feeling that you’re somehow drowning although you live in North Dakota where there are no large bodies of water to be found until the snow melts, you’re doing great. Regardless of your lack of time to meal prep, or wash your clothes (or hair), and regardless of the days or sometimes weeks it takes you to reply to emails and text messages that aren’t directly related to school or work, you are still loved (by at least your Mom). Keep doing what you do friends, soon enough the time will come where we look back fondly on this chaos, and maybe even wish to relive it (that’s assuming there are screaming kids involved.)
