Part Time Jobs!
I’ve been getting really stressed out lately, thinking about upcoming expenses. Fall tuition, rent, all those textbooks at the start of a new term. Yikes-a-likes, right? When I think too much about how impoverished I’m about to be, I get in a really frugal mood where everything seems beyond my budget.
“Five cents for a plastic bag at a grocery store? Didn’t it used to be three? THIS IS HIGHWAY ROBBERY!”
I had a job during high school; I worked 10-20 hours per week, or more around the holidays. It was totally, totally doable, even though I participated in a crazy amount of after school activities and studied like a hound every night. (A hound that is intent upon getting 100% in calculus. You know, a regular hound). When I got to university though, I convinced myself that I wouldn’t have time for a part-time job.
Engineering is a pretty intense program, with 5 or 6 courses every term, and big projects, and crazy labs. Plus, I run 20sb, and I volunteer here and there, and I go to Power Hour at the pool (fine, now it’s called Aquatics Club but that is way less fun), and I like to hit the gym pretty often, and also I have a bit of a social life (I didn’t in high school).
It’s easy to say that there isn’t any time for a job. But also? I waste tonnes of time. I’m looking at you, sidereel.com, and google reader (there’s like 300 blogs in there), and twitter, and tumblr, and Internet In General. If somebody tells me that Big Bang Theory is funny, then I catch up on all 3 seasons over the course of a few weeks. Imagine if, instead of watching low-fi episodes with Asian-language subtitles, I was getting paid even minimum wage all that time! I’d have just as much time for studying and the rest of my life, and way less stress.
As soon as I thought about getting a job, all my stress left. Yes, it might be stressful to time manage, but even if I only make a few hundred dollars a month? I NEED THAT. So, I’ve decided. I’ma getta job.
It’s an exciting prospect! Jobs while in college! IT’S LIKE THE MOVIES!
I spent high school in retail and it would be painful to go back. Fast food is also out for pejorative reasons. I wouldn’t want to work in the type of restaurant commonly frequented by students, nor do I want to travel too far away from my house, which is near campus. I wondering if/how I could get a TA position? Or if I could teach a campus rec class like spinning. A spin instructor! That would be fun! The possibilities!
People from UW: any specific ideas? (Symposium crossed my mind, but I would eat all the deserts and get very large very quickly)
People not from UW: any generic ideas?
16 comments:
Do you have workstudy jobs in Canada? Because those are on-campus, so they're move convenient, and they may be tax-exempt because they contribute to tuition? Not sure.
why don't you get a job at school. then you won't have to go far to work. maybe you can even do your homework there!
I worked at a resort while in college. It was in the gift shop but you could totally do front desk. You meet some real characters working in hospitality and hear so awesome gossipy stories about crazy things found in hotel rooms. I recommend.
If you can get some kind of TA job or something really fun then that might be cool...but a crappy job for $8/hr is totally not worth the additional stress.
You'll make waaay more than that once you graduate, and then you can pay off any debt you accrue in the meantime really fast.
Plus, this is your last year...have fun! Money, schmoney! I'll lend you some if you want!
a word from someone who is old and nostalgic for college: get a job not at all related to your future field of work. You'll have years to work as an engineer, years to have a job you super care about and possibly only this chance to get a silly job that won't affect your *LIFE*. some suggestions that i think would be fun:
-- spinning instructor would be great!
-- barista! it's just fun to say!
-- retail that might not suck: book or record store?
-- i super loved waitressing, it pays well and you mostly just talk to people all day, and free food! (i'd recommend a nonchain joint)
Tutoring is awesome. You can work fewer hours because the pay per hour is higher, and you can set your own schedule. I've tutored both high school and college students. You'd be amazed at how many people need help with things you find easy (i.e. math). It earns you a little extra money, and you feel good when students actually start to understand things.
i have plenty of time for a second job... i'm just WAY too lazy to give up any of that time ;-)
i TA'd in college, and it was great. easy - in the sense that i was already on campus, already in that building half the time, and it was a subject i knew and loved. a lot of my friends got jobs @ the school library, too?
(ha! my word verification is "login.")
Retail services. You might want to go on now and apply. They do training for a week or two before school and there are a lot of people that couldn't do that. You have a bit of time with August off..
Retail jobs are going to be your best bet, given experience. Otherwise if you only want part time and have some afternoon time off, admin assistant jobs often have just a few hours/week (20?)
Second the tutoring. Name your schedule, and if you're good -> name your hourly rate.
I made the same decision to get a part-time job last year. I lasted two weeks before quitting. Turns out taking eight courses and commuting drains about all the brainpower I could produce. Plus it was up in Meadowvale, far from both home and school.
My job was sorting hospital records, which had the huge advantage of a flexible schedule, and not feeling stressed about calling in sick or having someone cover you if you were otherwise busy. I also didn't have to deal with people and time flew fast.
I worked with a prof once a few years ago and she paid me to work on a poster I said I'd present at a conference. Easy money but getting a lot of hours might be tricky.
telemarketing. sounds awful but it builds character. once you've had about 25 hang ups, you realize it's no biggie. most places (in the US) offer evening positions with only a few hours. pretty easy work for pretty easy money. :-)
my friend taught a spinning class at UW...loved it. the one on columbia. holy CRAP i forget the name of the gym!!! AHHHH.
i worked at the SRC, survey research centre...really flex hours, gooood pay (for a student)...you should check it out! it's in the math building!
aaaand big bang theory IS funny.
For students in the UK, customer service in call centres is all the rage. Good money but having worked for both directory enquiries and for customer services in my current company, I would never recommend it! I think the best idea is to sign up with some agencies for office temp work. So much easier, and easier to waste time too!!!
Yeah, I'm not really good at suggestions when it comes to work ...
If your school has an information desk, I highly recommend getting a job there. If you can click a mouse and point at things, it's an ace in the hole.
Also, first time visiting your blog and I'm enamored with it. ANNND I'm loving 20sb, so, I'm awarding you the coveted double-point.
Lise! I don't know if UW has this but I worked at a thing called "walkhome" last year and will again this year. My job is, with a partner, to walk people home. I get paid to walk and talk. So easy, fun and exercise! Some schools call it foot patrol or walksafe?
I'm also working at a coffee shop on campus. One shift a week- super easy.
In firt year I sold concessions at varsity games- easy, flexible schedule and was able to study when it wasn't half-time.
Sheeeee
Everybody wants to make extra income, especially when you can do it at the comfort of your own home.
The only way that I can see possible for people to be making part time income would be through the Internet.
I know six first steps to make part time income.
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