It’s gotten to that point of the semester where you’re probably running low on the money you earned at your summer job. You may be starting to wonder if it’s time to look for a job that’ll help make you a little more cash to spend, but you’re not sure if working while being a full-time student is feasible for you.
If you need to work to save up money for something big like tuition or a spring break trip, the advice in this article may not be for you. But if you’re just looking to make some extra spending money for yourself, keep reading!
I had to make this decision for myself last year when I realized I wanted money to spend on little things like new clothes and going out to eat. As a communications major who was only active in a handful of clubs and organizations at the time, I knew I could handle the time commitment.
The first thing to think about when considering if working a part-time job is a good idea is, of course, your major. Are you spending all your extra time outside of class doing your coursework? If so, then maybe adding a job to the mix won’t work for you.
It’s all about balance though, and if you’re a STEM major, and you are able to successfully manage your time despite a very heavy course load, a part-time job could still definitely be something for you to consider!
Next, it is important to think about your involvement in clubs and organizations. Are you at club meetings or practice every night of the week? Or do you have days where you have no other commitments after your classes are over?
If you know what your schedule will look like every week and you have a few hours to kill every few days, then it could be possible to work a job into that schedule of yours.
The final consideration you should think about when looking into picking up a part-time job is your social life. If working a job means all you’ll have time for school, clubs and work, then it may not be worth it to sacrifice your social life just for some cash.
You also have to consider that some nights, your friends may be watching a movie together or going out while you’re working a shift. If you will still have time for friends most days, and your FOMO is generally manageable, a part-time job is definitely something that could be possible for you.
Now, let’s say you’ve made it this far, and you’ve decided you can balance your classes, your involvement, and your social life, as well as a part-time job. Here are some general tips to help you succeed balancing work, school and play.
Firstly, try to work between one to three days a week. This allows you to balance all the other important aspects of college that I mentioned previously, while still making some extra spending money each week that you got this job for in the first place.
Secondly, work somewhere where your shifts won’t have you working too late into the night, or for too long. This allows you to still have free time before or after your shift where you can focus on what’s important to you.
Finally, please don’t get a job you hate just for the extra money! Look for jobs that requires skills that you’re good at and enjoy. In my experience, dreading going to every shift is not worth the money or the time.
I hope this article has helped you decide whether working part-time in college is a good idea for you. And if not, that’s completely understandable! Every aspect that goes into to being a college student takes up a lot of time, so it makes sense that a job just doesn’t work for a lot of people right now.