Maybe you’ve heard from your parents or your older siblings or friends who have already started or gone through college that college is just a time to “let loose and party”. Please, from one young adult to another, take college seriously. Not only is college the gateway to possibly the rest of your life, but it is also a good time to start practicing responsibility.
First, think of why you are currently attending college: Are you there to get good grades in order to either further your education or to graduate and get an “adult” job? Or are you at college to party and enjoy your young adult years?
Trust me, if you answered “yes” to the second question, there are many less expensive ways to party and enjoy your young adult years than spending extreme amounts of money on tuition, boarding costs, and a meal plan.
Either way, if you have time to party, you probably have time to work.
Yes, getting good grades and attending to your education is the main reason why you are at school; however, getting a part-time job in college is a good idea for a few different reasons.
1. It shows time-management skills. When you apply for your first big job out of college, you want to be able to include impressive items on your résumé. Putting down a part-time job that you were able to hold in college shows that you have good time-management skills, which shows your future bosses that you can be trusted not to fall behind with important tasks.
2. It shows responsibility. If your future bosses see that you chose to spend your time in college working and getting good grades, it shows them that you will be responsible enough to handle your job and a high-pressure environment.
3. It shows coping skills. Once you get out of college, life is not all rainbows and unicorns. Life is tough, messy and stressful, but if you were able to juggle a part-time job while taking a full load of classes, that shows your future boss that you are a strong person who is capable of handling stress. That being said, you will still have days where the stress feels overwhelming, and that is perfectly alright as long as you remember to breathe, ask for help if needed, and keep pushing on.
4. It shows a strong work ethic. I’m sure you have all heard the term “work ethic” and have wondered what exactly that means. Basically, a person with a good work ethic is viewed as responsible, has good time-management, is able to work well under pressure, and knows when to take personal responsibility for his or her own actions. Having a strong work ethic does not seem to be as common these days as it was in the past, maybe due to the rising numbers of college students who have never held a job.
If you want to work a part-time job during college but are worried about becoming overwhelmed, do not stress too badly. You certainly do not have to work twenty-five hours a week or even work at all. But some work experience is always good, even if you just want to go out and volunteer a few weekends during the semester. As long as your future bosses can tell that you did not spend all four years in college drinking and partying, you are already going to be seen as a responsible adult in their eyes.