As we approach midterms, students often think about all the experience they’ve had in college so far, regardless if they are a new student or a returning student. The students of this university are taught how to manage their schedule so that they should always have the time to finish their projects and go hang out with their friends and families on the weekends. Then there are students who go to a lot of events that usually happen on campus. Students like me however, chose to live as a college student while also working day and night shifts at their job.

Students who worked a job when they were still in high school will know what I am talking about. I am a student currently working at Sodexo, more specifically at the Tecumseh Dining Center. However, I do get called into catering other events on campus. When I first got started at TDC, I didn’t have a lot of hours to work due to my school schedule. For this semester, I have fewer classes and that means I get more hours for my job.

Even though I am in good hands at TDC, I find that job to be really stressful at times. This was something I took for granted when I was in high school because I didn’t have a job until my sophomore year. Nowadays, one of my biggest challenges is balancing my work schedule and making time to do other things on campus. Fortunately, I am allowed to take days off anytime I need them. But I know there are other students on campus who aren’t as lucky as I am.

My advice to students who are struggling with their job or hate where they work is to not stress themselves out. I understand wanting to work so that you can earn yourself a good paycheck. However, it’s also nice to not focus too much on your work. Don’t be afraid to ask your boss or manager if you can have a day off on a day you feel like you can’t work. And it’s not that you can just do fun activities on campus or go home and relax; students could also use that time to study for a class that you might be struggling with.

To sum it up, it can be a struggle to be a successful college student and a hard working employee at the same time, especially for new students. It isn’t shameful for a student not wanting to work extra hours. No student on campus should feel like they have to miss out on any opportunities their university provides because of their job.