Once you have got settled in college, you need to start thinking seriously. Any savings you might have can drain away incredibly quickly and you need to be able to budget sensibly to make it through to your next loan instalment. Many people will therefore consider getting a job to supplement their income and ease their financial stresses. Let’s take a look at why you might choose to get a job in college and some of the factors you should think about.
Savings
Obviously, one of the primary reasons why you might choose to get a job in college is to build up your savings. You can use these savings for a number of reasons but one of the best things to aim for is the ability to purchase your own car.
Not everyone can afford to go off to college with a car. However, with some hard work and a good savings plan, it won’t be long before you have enough together to buy that car.
Will It Affect Your Study?
If you are thinking about getting a job, you need to consider whether or not you are actually going to be able to balance it with your studies. Something demanding like Law or Medicine might occupy all of your time and leave you without any room to get a job on top of that.
However, you might also have some major gaps in your timetable. If you have a morning or a few afternoons off every week, you could use them as a complete break from study and instead find a job to fill your time with.
Consider a Summer Job
Some courses are just too demanding to warrant a job during the semester. However, you will have the entire summer break with nothing to do and a job might be just what you need to keep yourself occupied.
If you get a job in your hometown then you won’t have to pay rent or bills if you crash with your parents again. Likewise, if you were to get a job at a resort or on a cruise, they might deduct a small stipend for your accommodation and otherwise leave you to build up your savings. With so many different roles out there for you to fulfil, it should not be too difficult for you to find something seasonal and ready to line your pockets until the next semester starts.
A job while you study is no easy undertaking. You need to seriously consider whether or not you can afford to distract yourself from your studies and what you would spend the money on when you have accumulated it. If you can come up with a sensible work/study balance, you should definitely consider finding a job while at college.
