So you're in college. You're studying for hours every day, working hard to make grades. You hope to get a good job one day; a job that will provide you with a nice income that you can live on. Here's the problem: college is expensive. And even if you have perfect grades, tons of scholarships, and financial aid, there is still money owed left over. Your student loans pile up, giving you anxiety beyond belief. How do you fix this, you wonder?
So you get yourself a job working during the hours when you don't have class. You start making good money, but run into problems. You miss hanging out with your friends, you lose sleep and show up to class exhausted, and you notice your grades start to slip. Now, this seems a little ass backwards, don't you think? You're working so you can pay for your education but you're losing some of the benefits of going to college because you work.
I bet you're wondering why I said this article was about the good things about having a job in college and I just listed all the horrible things about it. So stick with me here...
My life is quite comparable to some Cinderella Story type movie (except I haven't found a prince yet, but that is beside the point). I work late nights at a local bar while I see my friends giddy and happy outside on the sidewalk on their way to and from fun parties while I smell like beer and fried food and work my butt off. Sure, I get bitter sometimes, who doesn't want to be having fun with their friends on a friday night?
But I learned to channel my bitterness into gratitude. I am thankful for the humility that my job has taught me. Even though it would be easy, I never blame my lagging in other areas on my job. "Eden, pay attention. You look half asleep." My professor of my 8:30 AM class will tell me. I just say "Sorry" and don't bother to mention that I got off work at 11:30 then did three hours of homework after that.
I am thankful for the load that my work puts on me. It teaches me time management. I've learned how to get things done quickly and to not procrastinate. By being more time-conscious, I prevented my grades from dropping. Going to college and having a job is like working a full-time and part-time job at the same time. Lots of people in this world do that. It makes you grateful of the little free time that you do have. A 1 hour time to do absolutely nothing might not seem like much to the average student, but to you, it is a little piece of heaven.
Because I have a job, I have been able to start paying off my student loans before I graduate. This is building my credit and teaching me financial stability. I am more careful with my money because I realize how hard I had to work to make it.
Having a job during college is a lot of sacrifice, don't get me wrong. But it teaches you almost as much as your college education will. Think of it this way, college is teaching you academics and giving you knowledge for your future career. Having a job is teaching you how to live smartly and have the knowledge to navigate life. So go out and get a job if you can, I guarantee your perspective on life will change.
