Everyone thinks of the typical broke college student. The student who parties every weekend night and sleeps every weekend day. Isn’t there more to the “college experience?”
I lived away my freshman year, and I went to a few parties. I decided to come home when I realized I needed to do more than basically attend class and party. I’m sure I could have gotten more involved in clubs and activities around campus, but for whatever reason I didn’t. I came home to join an accelerated program and save lots of money.
The summer I came home, I started working in a restaurant scooping ice cream. At first, I could not stand going there, but this was my first real job. It got better, and I enjoyed being there a lot. I even picked up extra shifts for people. Eventually, I was thankful to earn a spot waitressing. This is where I have grown the most in the past two years.
You can make a good amount of money waitressing, especially when you do not have a ton of bills to pay. I am thankful that I could pay off most of my junior year, but I definitely feel like I have earned it.
Working part time has taught me many things. It has taught me how to manage a 30-hour work schedule, while taking up to 17 credits (five classes) during a college semester. It taught me the importance doing assignments on time, and not procrastinating!
One of the more important things I have learned from working is to be ready for anything. I always try to come in fifteen minutes before a shift. There are days where I walk in and am expected to immediately take a table, but there are days I might not have a table until an hour after I get there.
Working can also help you learn how to make good use of your time. At slow points, we roll silverware, stock tables, fill ice buckets. There is always something to be done, especially when you are not being paid to stand around. While I was working my first ice cream shift by myself, there was a slow moment. I was asked to sweep the concrete outside by my ice cream window. From then on, I learned to make sure I was doing something, because who wants to sweep concrete?
From all the life lessons I have learned in two years, I also had the opportunity to meet some of my best friends. My coworkers soon became work friends, and now they are more like my extended family. Sometimes I look forward to working just to hang out with them! The money can become just a bonus. That’s when you know you are exactly where you are meant to be.
So it really is beneficial to work during college. From learning important life skills to making lifelong friends, it really is important that students get a chance to work. You never know what doors it will open up!
