Between work and school, some students are never off the clock – and with tuition rising, working can be a necessity. But many students manage to schedule work and school and hit the books without breaking the bank.
Rachel Beenken, a freshman art major, teaches private swim lessons in Fort Collins every other weekend, booking five to six hours of lessons back-to-back.
“At $14 per half-hour lesson, teaching people to swim is very profitable. It does take a lot of planning, though, to go back home and focus on work. I usually don’t relax on my Fridays at all, so I’m able to teach swimming on the weekends without stressing over my homework,” said Beenken.
Megan Sehr, a freshman International Studies and journalism student, works for about 12 hours per week at Laser Quest, a laser tag entertainment venue on East Hampden avenue. Sehr’s position involves facilitating game-play of customers, ensuring safety and helping with parties. So is it really worth the effort?
“Some days, I don’t think it is, because I’m really tired, but then I’ll get a paycheck, $150 to $200. I put that into savings for travel, so I would say, yes, in the long run, it’s worth it,” said Sehr.
Jack Mao, a junior international student from China majoring in mathematics and psychology, works five different jobs, all on-campus. Mao is an RA for the International LLC in Centennial Halls, a Latin, Chinese and Japanese tutor for the Center for World Languages and Cultures, a tutor for the Math Center, a research assistant at the Psychology Department and a saxophone player for the DU Pep Band.
“I arrange my schedule so I work on Mondays and Wednesdays and have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays; I can also usually do my homework at my jobs and, of course, on the weekends. I get paid humbly [about $1000 per quarter], but it doesn’t matter because I get excellent experience and it’s fun work,” said Mao.
Despite the many benefits working students receive, not all students are able to work during college, finding themselves already busy enough with schoolwork.
“I do work, I just don’t work during school. I put a lot of stress on myself to maintain good grades, so I don’t physically have the time to work a job outside of class, especially in the Honors Program,” said Lexi Dienstbier, a freshman International Studies/Spanish student who works during the winter breaks at an Express in Kansas City and during summer breaks as a swim instructor at the Loch Loyd Country Club.
In addition to students who work off-campus, a portion of the student body with strong financial need are awarded a work-study position with the university to reimburse their tuition costs.
“I only work about six hours a week. I enjoy it and my boss is really nice. It’s really just another job, just one that you get through the school. Without work-study, there’s no way I could afford textbooks and things. Students who work off-campus are no different from other students, except they have more trouble scheduling than we do,” said Scott Andre, a freshman computer science major.
Some working students envision more long-term job benefits beyond the paycheck that makes the tiresome days worthwhile.
“I love working with the kids. I’ve watched them develop over almost four years,” said Beeken. “It’s so much fun and so rewarding to see how much they can grow.”
Mao also emphasized working with people as a perk of the professional life, as well as preparation for future endeavors.
“Working has helped me interact with people because my work isn’t in an office,” said Mao. “I’m enhancing my resume for graduate school and my jobs help me to strengthen my understanding of what I’m teaching. It does lighten my financial burden quite a bit, but I encourage people to work a job because they personally enjoy it instead of just for the money.”
Sehr agreed, acknowledigng real-world work, while sometimes bittersweet, is ultimately rewarding.
“I strongly believe in people working, even if it’s part-time, because it teaches you to deal with people that you don’t like and rules that you might think are stupid,” said Sehr. “It gives you a work ethic for the real work world and life experience to put on your resume.”
Students who are interested in testing out new jobs and career opportunities can speak with employers at the Career and Internship Fair on Wednesday from 3-6 p.m. in Gates Field House. Be sure to starch your suit and have resume in hand and join the ranks of DU workers, for better or for worse.
