Let’s be honest here: SMU is expensive. Dallas is expensive. Being a grown up is expensive. Having fun is, you guessed it, expensive. Chances are you may need to get a job at some point. It’s good for your resume, it provides you extra pocket money, and some of us desperately need some cash. So barring selling all of your stuff, and selling all your roommates stuff, you should get you one of those job things. It’s going to be hard to maintain a full schedule and have a part time job, and you are here in school, you know, to get an education. So how can you be fiscally responsible without throwing your grades out the window? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
1. Take Advantage of SMU
I don’t mean to take SMU’s lunch money when it’s not looking or to sucker punch SMU in the stomach. I mean you need to really take advantage of what SMU has already offered you. About 70 percent of our students are on some form of financial aide. Many students qualify for some amount of work study, and have absolutely no idea. SMU is offering you the chance to work on campus and even have some of that money go to your tuition. This can help you put some work towards perhaps not having as many student loans in the future (#mysmu). Since most of these jobs are on campus, you won’t even have to drive across town. Go onto MustangTRAK, make an account, and start applying for jobs.
2. Have a Planner
If you’re a busy girl, a planner is going to be your best friend. I map out all of my assignments on my Semester at a Glance (Get your’s at the ALEC or check out these other options) so that way I can know what’s coming up at all times. I post it on the wall in my room, there is a picture of it on my phone so that I can look at it while on the move, it is my one true love. Sometimes you can plan out hourly what your schedule for the week looks like (also get those schedules at the ALEC) so then you can plan out work, homework, work outs, and #werk.
3. Befriend Your Boss (And Your Prof)
Let your boss at work know what’s going on with you. They’d like to know what your school schedule is like, especially when it comes to your hours. If you know that you’ll be slammed for midterms week, let your boss know so she can schedule you a little lighter. Let your professors know what you’re dealing with as well. They’ll have more sympathy if they know that you’re working retail fifteen hours a week and that’s probably why you can’t come to their office hours. Set up appointments instead, and earn those brownie points by mentioning how you’re earning that money.
4. Find a Job That Works for You
No money is going to seem worth it if you are working at a job you hate. Apply for a job you’ll actually want to do, and that can work with your schedule. If you love fashion and style, and you have more time on the weekends, try to work retail at the NorthPark Center. If you’re tech savvy and can’t keep your hands off computers, apply for the IT Help Desk. Some jobs on campus can even let you do homework at the same time, like calling at Telepony, working at the ALEC, or working the VS lost key desk. Shop around, find what fits with your schedule, and stick with it.
5. Be Prepared to Suffer
No matter how much you love your job, there are going to be times when you’d rather been in bed as a solo Netflix and chill session. I love working retail, but every time I see a customer hang up a dress inside-out and leave all of their jeans on the floor, a little part of me dies. If you work at the calling center, at some point a stranger will probably yell at you and then hang up. If you’re a waitress, your customers can sometimes stress you out. No job is going to be a picnic all of the time. Welcome to the working world. It’s a lot better that you’re starting in it early.
6. Go to the Career Center
The Hegi Career Center is a great place for now and for the future. They can help you find an internship for this summer, or maybe help you think about your career path. They can lead you to career fairs and help you find the right job for your major.
Basically, having a job while doing school is going to take some sacrifices. You might not be able to party on a Wednesday if you have to work in the morning, and you may end up being awake for all hours because you just have endless things to do. But it’s going to look a hell of a lot better on your resume, and you can’t keep begging your parents for money forever. Some of us can’t afford the luxury of having no job. Some of us have got to do what we gotta do. So I guess we had all better start sucking it up and pull a Rachel Green. If she can go from being a terrible waitress to a high powered executive, than so can we.
All Photos Courtesy of Moriah Raisis and her job working at Madewell