I have now completed three years of college, and during that time I've had quite a few jobs. I've worked more retail than I'd like to discuss, and hopefully I'll never have to travel that dark path again.

Babysitting is the job I keep coming back to.

I've babysat for kids of all ages, everywhere from newborns to middle schoolers, and every summer (plus winter and spring breaks, and sometimes weekends too) I babysit again. I will be the first to admit that occasionally kids just suck. Sometimes they're just bad (especially in groups) and there's no right thing to say or do to get them to be good. Those times can be really hard, and that's when you find yourself thinking you'll never come back.

But there are great times as well. When you've got a little one who's just woken up from their nap and is all snuggled up to you and not moving a muscle, you can't help but smile. Sometimes they'll do something bad and you'll have to yell at them but then they're so cute that you can't stay mad. My niece and nephews are my favorite kids to watch (which is mostly bias, I'll admit) and there have been so many times when I've looked at them and was so blown away by their cuteness that I couldn't even punish them for doing something wrong (even my nephews who are twins and tend to feed each other's bad vibes most days).

And it's a mutual attachment. I babysat for a four child family last year, and the one little boy was pretty bad. He'd pick on his siblings all day and all day I'd have to yell at him. He'd be mad at me constantly and throw tantrums, but at the end of the day when his dad came home he would run and try to hide my shoes so I couldn't leave. And when I told him I wouldn't be watching them anymore he grabbed onto my leg and wouldn't let go despite my protests. Yes, there are very hard moments, but in my opinion the rewards outweigh them heavily.

Also, no matter how short- or long-term of a job you're looking for, babysitting tends to pay really well. Most parents will pay $10 or more an hour (so if you're watching kids for, say, a teacher whose school day is 8 hours, you'll make $80 that day). That being said, if you're hurting for money, there are tons of parents who would love to have a sitter even just for date nights, and you'll make at least $20 off that (which is a lot when you're broke).

Moral of the story: if you've never babysat before, try it out. If you have babysat before, offer your services again because parents really want someone experienced. The more experience you have, the more likely you are to get hired, and hired more often. Plus, let's be honest, you've always wanted a job where you can text all day and not get yelled at for it.