What it’s like working while in college
Don’t snap your fingers at me, sir
After making some small comment about my day at work, I’m almost always greeted with wide eyes and the same few questions: “Where do you work?” always comes first, followed by “does it take up too much of your time?”, or something to that extent. I always spout off the same answers: “Cafe Caturra”, “Not really”.
At a lot of other schools, it’s very normal for students to work throughout college, yet at UVA I’m always met with the “Oh my gosh, you work?”. Most of the people I go to school with come from very well off families, and I’ve found they don’t really have a need to work.
Cafe Caturra
My job at school has given me the opportunity to meet extremely driven people, and while some of them may not need a job to make it through college, they are willing to put in the extra work, for whatever their reasons may be.
A lot of students I meet have never needed to be employed and don’t really have an idea what working is like. When my boyfriend’s parents come to visit, they casually hand him wads of cash, significantly more money than I make working a seven hour shift of running up and down stairs, burning my hands on coffee and hot plates and dealing with the finger-snapping-where-is-my-food-it’s-been-five-whole-minutes customers.
Food is exciting after a 7 hour shift
Truth is, to me it has always been strange not to work. I got my first “real” job my junior year of high school at an upscale clothing boutique in downtown Los Altos, California. I worked twice a week after school and every weekend. I worked all throughout the summer. I worked Christmas and Thanksgiving breaks. I’ve always liked to work.
Whether it’s working in a cafe or a boutique, to me, it’s about getting to interact with people and not thinking about school and stress for a few hours. It has always been an escape, a place where I can go and joke around with coworkers, talk to dozens upon dozens of people everyday, all while making a few extra bucks (which with my shopping addiction, I always need).
After my boyfriend and I broke up, I went to work to try and get my mind off of things. As soon as I walked into work, I had people notice I was upset and immediately try to comfort me and make sure I was okay. They spent the rest of my shift cheering me up and giving me hugs when I got sad again.
I think that is one of the reasons why I love working so much. When you work for six straight hours with the same people, you really get to know them and care for them. You become a small family, one that is always there for each other and willing to help each other out when you need it most. Clubs and sports give you a sense of community, but I think with a job that sense forms quickly after long shifts with people.
I talked to my friend Brittany who quit her job earlier on in the school year. Surprisingly, time management wasn’t a factor in her deciding to leave. She said, “it wasn’t really difficult to balance school and work.”
Brittany
It more so had to do with her co-workers and the environment of the workplace. A lot of people expect that working while in college is extremely difficult and time consuming, but I’ve found that in places like the Corner, employers understand that school is your first priority.
Right now, I only work one to two shifts a week, which is perfect because I get to make some extra money but I’m not overwhelmed by it. Brittany’s job was more open to having employees work multiple shifts a week, but they were also completely understanding if someone needed to focus on studying.
Am I bitter? Maybe a little bit. But at the same time, there are both pros and cons to working while you’re a full time student in one of the best schools in the country. I get extra money, something to fluff up my resume, an escape from school stresses, a chance to meet new people that genuinely care for me.
But I also have to give up nights out, time with my friends, time to study, and the occasional “oh no the back of my foot is almost bare flesh because I ran around in uncomfortable shoes for too long.”
I think at the end of the day, working while you’re in school is a completely personal choice, like Brittany said, “I’m going to have to work all my life, so why am I working now?”.