Being a full–time college student and wanting to find employment is a complicated task. There can be struggles such as time management, transportation, scheduling, and more. But for those that need the income, there might not be a way to avoid work. Fortunately, here on our very own Texas A&M campus, there is not only a selection of diverse job opportunities available to students, but they are also very accommodating to any specific needs of the individuals.
I am currently a full-time student who works on campus, but prior to my job search and application problems, I did have a lot of concerns. Working while in school is never easy, as a teenager or as an adult, so I went in not really knowing if I was going to not only be able to handle the workload but also have an understanding workplace environment. Thankfully, I quickly learned just how accommodating and considerate the staff and faculty employees at A&M are, and just how various our catalog of student positions can be.
After filling out several applications through “Jobs for Aggies,” I finally got a call back for a Social Media Student Assistant through the Division of Student Affairs. I went through the interview and onboarding process and then began this new student worker journey in one of my fields of interest! Right off the bat, my higher-ups were some of the most thoughtful people to pass in the workforce. Working a job on campus means one thing first and foremost: Your classes and education come first. My bosses know my schedule, and never expect me to come in during that time unless the event of a canceled class. For times when I got backed up with work or studying for a test, shooting them a quick message about it elicited the same response every time.
“I’m sorry I can’t come in today, I realized that I have one too many assignments due today at noon.”
“Hey! No worries, school comes first.”
Getting an opportunity to work with people who understand your education is of top priority is not something that should be taken for granted. Those who work on campus grounds understand that like no other.
Aside from this benefit, another underrated point to me is transportation. Like most universities, there are off-campus bus routes for those that don’t live in dorms. This is the daily ride to class, so why not make it your ride to work? Not everyone in college is fortunate enough to have a vehicle or the funds for frequent trips, so this perk can mean the difference between getting to have a job in general or not. Of course, this does not even include the students who already live on campus, which means that work is simply a walk away. Having transportation with no expense allows more financial freedom and flexibility for a college student.
Working an on-campus job really does cater to the needs of a hardworking student whether that be intentionally, such as with no complications with class and work schedule, or unintentionally such as easy transportation through public transport. All this combined with getting an opportunity to work in an environment surrounded by your fellow students develop chances to grow your connections to the campus itself. Being a student worker at Texas A&M University has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my academic and professional career.