How to Work Full Time in the Summer & Not Want to Kill Yourself
Okay, so I’m being a little melodramatic, but bear with me here.
It was on the first day of my new job that I found out I’d be working full time. My dreams of lounging by the pool and taking long weekends in the mountains were crushed and then immediately replaced with filing paperwork, selling iPads, and sharpening my phone-call diplomacy skills. And while the joys of working at my university’s computer store don’t end there, I’ll spare you the details. Instead, let me function as a cautionary tale of sorts, and we’ll go from there.
Don’t Take Classes, Too:
Unless you absolutely have to in order to graduate and have access to an unlimited supply of Adderall, don’t think this is going to work out well for your sanity and/or GPA. Granted, my personal experience may be slightly affected by my inability to “take the initiative” and remember the fact that online classes have deadlines too… but this fact is relatively unimportant.
Summer, to a college student, is pure gold. Not feeling stressed to the max will keep you having fun and will most likely prevent any tequila benders that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Those should really be reserved for special occasions like spring break, national holidays, finishing finals, break-ups, and basically anything else other than “I have a test tomorrow but YOLO!”
Find A Job With Redeeming Qualities:
When I first started my job, I pretty much hated everything about it and weighed the options of quitting versus suicide. Then I began to see the upsides: a customer bought me coffee, the people I worked with were pretty freaking cool once I got to know them, and it’s a super-convenient commute. That’s all it took to make me hate my life less when I had to wake up at 7AM every morning to make it to work on time. If your bosses suck, your coworkers are less than desirable individuals, and sexual harassment lawsuits loom around every corner, just quit. Unless you’re making, like, $12 an hour… in which case, suck it up and shine it on.
Make An Effort To Have Fun After Work And On The Weekends:
You’d think this is obvious, but some people fail to understand the concept that you have to put some effort into entertaining yourself at times. Go out for dinner with friends, take a 24-hour trip to a nearby city on your day off, or let yourself call in sick one day and go for a hike instead. Okay, don’t do that last one, but definitely understand the importance of a personal day. We all need them. Packing as much fun between shifts is going to keep you going while being the lame friend who actually has to make money over the summer.
While I’m sure there are plenty of people capable of balancing work, school, and a social life, those people definitely don’t have time to read this article. Let’s all appreciate having the opportunity to waste time on the internet, instead!
Category: Future, Skills, Time Management, Work Skills
