Holiday Time Already?

Many stores are already decorating for the holiday season. Anthropologie has full blown Christmas trees up, ornaments out and tinsel EVERYWHERE. J.Crew is beginning to get in holiday décor and gift sets, as well. The cold weather accessories are becoming more prominent among stores, and gift giving ideas are already being advertised. It seems that “the most wonderful time of the year” comes earlier and earlier. Its only the beginning of November, and already Christmas is slowly starting to come into full swing at malls and shopping centers. According to ABC News, holiday activity among retailers accounts for 20% the stores annual sales. Consumer Confidence has fallen to the lowest it has been since March 2009, so stores are aggressively trying to make up for it. While holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, they are also the absolute busiest for all retail stores, super markets and generally local businesses.  Everyone is after gifts, outfits to wear for various parties and decorations for their homes. If we really sit and think about it, there is about 45 days until Christmas- about a month and half! In order to get organized, wrap presents and prep for holiday parties, its just about time to start thinking about this wonderfuly stylish season! Here are a few of my favorite pieces in stores for yourself or for great gifts to get you to start thinking HOLIDAY!

NORDSTROM:

J.CREW:

LILLY:

ANTHROPOLOGIE:

I also interviewed three fabulous SJU students who work in retail, and will be working at their respective stores for the upcoming Holiday season. I was interested in seeing how working so many hours and being involved on campus, while keeping up with school affected their lives. These ladies truly deserve some major credit! Check it out:

Name: Kelly

Year: Sophomore

Place of Work: Lilly Pulitzer, Ardmore

Is it difficult to balance your work schedule with school/other campus activities & why? I’m in AOII and City Belles and I love being in both, but I often feel like I have to give things up in those activities to be at work. I love my job though, and it’s worth it because I’m gaining experience in a field that I’ve never worked in before and I’m learning a lot.

Do you find yourself putting work as a top priority instead of school or friends? For me, school and my relationships have to come before work. My boss is really wonderful and I have a great schedule to ensure that I’m getting all my work done.

When did you start working for Lilly? I started working for Lilly this August!  It was the first week of school. It’s the best job I’ve ever had. I also just love working in Suburban Square because my friends come and visit me while I am at work.

Has working had any effect on your grades? Working has effected my grades, but in a positive way. I’m a more efficient student if I have to schedule out my time. My grades are better this semester than last year.

How often do you work and how long are your shifts? I work on average 15 hours a week! My shift length varies from day to day but on average it’s about 7 hours.

Are you working on Black Friday? I’m not working Black Friday, or as Lilly calls it “Colorful Friday”. I’ll be home for thanksgiving. The store will open at 9 AM.


On Black Friday do you usually see a wait/line out the door for your store?
 I’ve never worked a Colorful Friday shift, but I’ve been to Lilly on that day before. It’s always busy because Lilly has great holiday gifts like scarves, necklaces and great dresses.

Do you thinking working as a student is worth it and what benefits does working in retail provide you with? I think working as a student is definitely worth it. While I save a majority of my paychecks, I have a little extra spending money for the weekends. Working in retail is totally new for me. I have experience in costumer service because I worked in a retirement home as a waitress for three years, but at Lilly I’ve had the opportunity to meet some really amazing people who work in the area and shop at Lilly. I’m making great connections and learning about the functions of a really great company.


Have you held back in participating more on campus because of your work schedule? I haven’t really held back at all! I’m getting more involved in my sorority and I never miss city belles rehearsal.


When you planned your schedule for next semester did you think about how working is going to factor into it? I did plan my schedule so I could have a better work schedule. It worked out well for me though, I didn’t have to sacrifice any classes I need to take, and I can work the days I need to work!


”Overall, I love working at Lilly. It’s such a happy place and I work with a great team. I’m benefiting from working with people who are older than me and can teach me a lot. I always look forward to working, and I’m gaining a lot of experience. “

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Name: Kaleigh

Year: Sophomore

Place of Work: J.Crew, Ardmore

Is it difficult to balance your work schedule with school/other campus activities & why? I think that this task is especially difficult. It all really depends on your workload. I like to be as busy as possible, so I enjoy being involved on campus and having a job, but there are sometimes where balancing it all gets difficult.

Do you find yourself putting work as a top priority instead of school or friends? I think that friends and school are definitely top priorities. J.Crew has been great with working with me and my school schedule, and they recognize that academics do come first. We are able to request days off in advance, so I never feel like I am missing anything that I would like to go to.

When did you start working for J.Crew? I started working for J.Crew last November, however I moved to the Suburban Square location in September because I wanted to try and work while at school, because I truly enjoy it.

Has working had any effect on your grades? Working has affected my grades a little bit. I work on Saturdays all day, and usually a few nights out of the week. This definitely takes away from some study time, so time management is really key.

How often do you work and how long are your shifts? I work about three days per week, and my shifts average from 4-7 hours at a time.

Are you working on Black Friday? I am probably working on Black Friday!


On Black Friday do you usually see a wait/line out the door for your store?
 I have worked on Black Friday before for J.Crew at a mall location, and it is totally packed. It is absolutely one of the busiest days all year.

Do you thinking working as a student is worth it and what benefits does working in retail provide you with? I think working as a student is definitely worth it. I save my money, and I hardly spend it. I absolutely love working at J.Crew. I love the style, seeing the new trends, and I love most of all helping someone find something that looks good on them. The look that they get after trying something on that I suggested is completely worth it. I have made a lot of connections at my job and had a chance to meet a lot of different clientele, who have each given me different perspective. I could see myself growing in the future in this company.


Have you held back in participating more on campus because of your work schedule? I haven’t really held back, but I am learning that sometimes you can’t do it all. I do have to say “no” to certain things because I have a job, and ultimately that means I have an extra responsibility, which requires more of me.


When you planned your schedule for next semester did you think about how working is going to factor into it? I did plan my class schedule so I could have some hours to work. For me, my priority is getting the classes and teachers I want first, and then work is secondary. But of course, when planning you always try to factor a good work schedule in. It’s very difficult sometimes with registration, however because you don’t always get what you want. You also have to factor in what time your store closes and what days of the week because it varies. You need to make sure you have time after class to work a minimum 4 hour shift.

“I absolutely love working at J.Crew. There is really not one thing that I don’t like about it. I get to work with people that love fashion and clothes as much as I do, and I get to help people feel good about themselves. I feel like I’m shopping all day instead of working. What could be better?”

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Name: Liz

Year: Senior

Place of Work: lululemon, Ardmore

Is it difficult to balance your work schedule with school/other campus activities & why? It is definitely difficult to balance it all.  I am involved with Greek Life on campus and am currently writing my senior thesis paper so on top of working at least 20 hours a week I always have a lot going on!

Do you find yourself putting work as a top priority instead of school or friends? I definitely find myself putting work before school but not so much my friends.  I love my job more than anything and I see myself with the company after I graduate.  Knowing that I want a future there and I have such a passion for it makes it all worth it to me.

When did you start working for Lulu? I started working for lululemon athletica in June of 2013.

Has working had any effect on your grades? Surprisngly working has not had any affect on my grades!  I am the only lemon still in school at our store and so all my co-workers make sure they stay on my to get my work done!

How often do you work and how long are your shifts? I usually work 4 days a week varying from 20-25 hours.  The shifts are always different but I usually will never work longer than a 7 hour shift.

Are you working on Black Friday? I will most likely be working at my store on Black Friday.  I am not sure when I will be in yet but Suburban Square creates special store hours for this day that we will have to follow. This will be my first holiday with lululemon…and I am BEYOND excited!


On Black Friday do you usually see a wait/line out the door for your store?
 I don’t doubt that there will be lines all over the store! Get there early for sure!

Do you thinking working as a student is worth it and what benefits does working in retail provide you with? I definitely find that working as a student has benefited me.   I have really developed a stable sense of time management and also money management.  I have created my own cushion for myself that will allow me to be able to live on my own after I graduate.  At lululemon I am considered an educator, so I don’t really sell but educate people on our product. The benefits I have seen for myself in working for a company like lululemon is that it is so important to set goals for yourself and to stick to them because anything is possible.


Have you held back in participating more on campus because of your work schedule? Yes, I have definitely held back in participating in things on campus…I just love work too much!


When you planned your schedule for next semester did you think about how working is going to factor into it? I made sure that my school schedule did not affect my availability for work and that I would still be able to work the same amount if not more.

“Working for lululemon atheltica has truly been the chance of a lifetime for me.  I have fallen in love with an amazing brand and an amazing company and I would tell anyone who wants the funnest job to apply.  #joblove #lifeinluonPhilly #theSWEATlife”

Happy Early Shopping All! XOXO