Spring Break
Summer work abounds in Athens for students
KYLE MINSHEW
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Summer employment has been a staple of many students' lives since they were flipping burgers back in high school to earn spending money.
But while some of these now "grown-up" students are spending their summers travelling the globe, working on their own projects, or just lounging in front of the TV, a few proud and determined students are spending the hot Georgia summer balancing a full-time job and a school year without a break.
"It's part of paying the bills," said Brett Wucinski, a senior psychology major and a security guard at the main library. "You try to get by with what you can, but sometimes it's not enough."
But the more relaxed schedule and lighter class loads of summer session allow students to balance the hectic struggle of a full-time job and being full-time students.
Often times students will adjust their schedules to fit the work of their individual job.
"I have more time to work," said Hannah Geiseke, a senior social work major and employee at Planet Smoothie. "Since I'm only taking classes in the morning, it leaves my afternoons open to earn more money."
But while the necessity of earning money often hovers over student's choice in getting a summer job, there also are benefits to working through the summer session.
"It helps me get my work done," Geiske said. "It helps me arrange things."
Wucinski says that working while attending class teaches him how to manage both his time and funds, making independent living much less of a hassle.
"Having a job teaches you a lot of responsibility," Wucinski said. "I think it has made me much more responsible, and I'll probably keep this job until I graduate."
A summer job also provides, some students say, a different social atmosphere than the nailed-down desk environment of the classroom.
"You get to hang out with a lot of cool people," said Tori Middour, a senior in Art History and an employee of Junkman's Daughter's Brother."
Although students are taking in both the monetary and personal benefits of a steady job, there are drawbacks and sacrifices to leading this double life. Giving up your nights and weekends takes away certain perks which regular semester students often take for granted.
"I don't get to take my nap anymore," Geiseke said. "That's really what kept me going through the school year. You also want to be outside during the day, but you can't because you are stuck inside working. You don't have any daytime left."
Wucinski said that usually the strict schedule of the work place often makes it difficult when unexpected academic or personal conflicts come up. Sometimes schoolwork has to take a backseat to his responsibilities of the job.
"It begins to pile up," Wucinski said. "When you have tests, papers, homework hanging over your head and you still know that you have to be at work at five that day, regardless."
"It's really hard when you have something important to do," Middour said. "And a lot of times you don't get a lot of sympathy from your bosses."
To combat the idea of dealing with parking and traffic downtown, haggling with crowded stores and the struggle to actually find a decent job, the University offers a series of programs which allow students the opportunity to find either a job on campus or in Athens. The Career Planning and Placement Center allows students to work in several areas, such as security, food service, maintenance and even bus driving.
"Jobs are much easier to get during the summer because there are fewer students here," said Andrew Bond, associate director of the Career Planning and Placement Center. "We post jobs for both on- and off-campus merchants and students can follow through on their own."
Many students try to find jobs on campus because it limits the complication of having employment and school in two different places. It provides the benefits, they say, of being able to comfortably walk to work from class.
"I don't have a car, so I needed something that I could get to easily," Wucinski said. "It's nice to be able to walk to class from work."
But the most important thing, Wucinski said, is to find a job which you can balance not only your role as a student but also allows you to do something which provides both personal satisfaction and a secure line of money.
"You should probably first look at your money situation and decide how much you need a job," Wucinski said. "Then try to find a job which fits your schedule and that you don't mind doing every day. It's just a matter of getting out there and looking."
