Every Sunday, I come home from work, count my tips and figure out how much money I made that week. Sometimes I’m surprised, while other times I wonder how my twenty hours of hard work translated into such an underwhelming amount of money. Regardless, I add it to my count of what I’ve earned, what I’ve spent and how much I’ll need to make next week.
As a full-time student at the University of Florida, I work three shifts a week bartending at a restaurant. Between my courses, internship, research, and everything else that comes with being in your last year of college, I’ve gotten pretty good at maximizing my schedule.Â
Lately, I’ve been thinking about all of the costs that don’t make it on my bank statement. In the spirit of those weekly spending diaries I love to read, here’s a breakdown of what a week of working in college actually costs me.
Monday: $0 Earned, Eight Hours Busy
Mondays are reserved for my internship. I spend the day gaining professional experience, learning from one of the best doctors in my area and doing the kind of work I hope to someday employ someone else to do for my practice.Â
It’s unpaid.
I am so fortunate to have this opportunity to gain experience within my field. However, it is uncomfortable to think that the work preparing me for my future does not help me afford my present.Â
Eight hours at the internship are eight hours I could have spent earning money. Instead, I exchange my day for experience, connections, and another line on my CV.
Tuesday: $0 Earned, Nine Hours of Classes
Tuesday is a school day. Between lectures, assignments, studying and trainings, this is my day to remind myself that I’m a student first.
Except being a student doesn’t pay my utility bill.
There’s a bit of guilt that comes with not making money when you’re accustomed to working. Even when I’m doing exactly what I should be, there’s always a little voice reminding me I could be picking up a shift.
College is already a full-time commitment. Working in college is just trying to squeeze another job around it.
Wednesday: $160 Earned, One Day I Won’t Get Back
Wednesday is a work day. By the time I get home, my body aches, my hair smells like the restaurant, and I’ve probably explained the difference between an omelet and a frittata more times than anyone else in the world.
But I made $160. Not too bad. The problem is that Wednesday didn’t stop while I was at work.
My classmates all met to study over coffee. My friends made plans. I still have four assignments due tonight. The emails I received while I was at work still need to be responded to.
I didn’t miss anything huge. But that’s what makes the cost of working in college so difficult to explain. It’s never a huge sacrifice, rather a collection of small ones that accumulate quietly.
Thursday: $0 Earned, Somehow Still Behind
Thursday, I have a full day of classes and meetings, and I try to catch up on everything left over from Wednesday. Mainly, I try to convince myself that I can get everything done before the weekend.
Sometimes, I think working has made me a better student. I’ve learned how to manage my time, stress, and different responsibilities to get things done when I don’t particularly feel like doing them. Other times, I’m consumed thinking about what I could accomplish if I had another 20 hours a week to devote exclusively to school.
Maybe I would’ve studied longer, gotten involved in another lab, or actually read the articles we’re discussing in class before the lecture begins. You can’t calculate the opportunities you never had time to pursue.
Friday: $220 Earned, One Night Out Declined
Friday means another shift, more customers to serve and another opportunity to make some money. By the end of the day, I’ve made $220.
My friends are all making plans for the evening, whether it be going downtown, getting dinner or just hanging out at someone’s apartment. I could go, but I’m exhausted. I still have assignments to do and another shift coming up on Sunday. So I stay home most of the time.
I save money by not going out, which feels like a smart decision, but I also miss another evening with my friends who I won’t be living close to in a year.
Saturday: $0 Earned, One Day Off
Saturday is my day off!Â
In theory, I should be sleeping in, relaxing and doing nothing productive. In reality, it means laundry, grocery shopping, assignments, cleaning and catching up on all of the things I couldn’t do during the week.
I love having a day to myself. I just wish that I didn’t have to spend so much of it recovering from the other six. The most expensive part of working in college is how difficult it becomes to enjoy free time without feeling like you should be using it more efficiently.
Sunday: $260 Earned, Another Weekend Spent Behind the Bar
Sunday brunch is the busiest time of the week at my restaurant. For customers, it’s an opportunity to relax, catch up with friends and enjoy a nice outing before their week begins. For me, it’s another workday.
While there are moments where I’d rather be doing literally anything else, I genuinely enjoy parts of my job.
This doesn’t negate the hours I spend preparing for work, the time I spend recovering afterwards, or the opportunities I’ve turned down because I couldn’t afford to miss work.
We’re all encouraged to make the most of college – join organizations, pursue internships, attend football tailgates, make memories and prepare for our futures. Some of us have to fit all of that around a work schedule.Â
At the end of every week, I can tell you exactly how much money I’ve made. What I can’t tell you is how much it cost me to make it.