Summertime is here. The sun is hotter and brighter, the skin is glowing, the beach and pools are filled up, and fun is around every corner, but for many students, the pocket is too empty for the mind to have a peaceful, much less fun, summer.

The plan for the summer was to get a job and save money to buy books for next semester, as well as for other material needs. The least pay was calculated with the least hours in order to be prepared for anything that happened. Little did I know that the real obstacle would be actually finding a job. I have heard that when you graduate college, it’s a hustle to get a job. What I did not expect though, was to apply to stores for the summer and not get a call back from any, let alone spend half the summer trying to convince places to hire me. There are also many friends in my situation, and the extent to which jobs are inflexible and inaccessible is sad and disappointing.

During the summer, it’s not news that every school goes on vacation and students are home. Stores and places of work should at this time become flexible in order to accommodate students who are trying to make life easier for themselves.

Being in college already gives students a 50/50 chance of going through this situation. The expenses, the high-price tuition, the ridiculous prices of books, the material needs, the loans, all can be very discouraging. Summer is the opportunity to prepare and be motivated emotionally, academically, mentally and most importantly, financially.

The purpose of this short article is not to complain but to encourage stores, restaurants, and places of work to chill out and better accommodate students. After all, we are the future leaders of tomorrow.