IF you're a final year or a second/first year student, this post would probably be perfect for you...
Many times I've heard people discussing and pondering over working while being in university. Most of us get concerned with deadlines, time management and commitments. My personal opinion is, YES! You should work, or at least try to. Doesn't matter if you can afford everything you want or you're privileged enough to have parents who give you monthly pocket money etc.
Working is great for you! (Also probably because apparently I am a bit of a low-key workaholic).
You get a break, a therapeutic break.
The jobs I had involved waitressing at a restaurant and serving sandwiches. Some people think they could spend the whole day in the library studying and if they had jobs, that such would not be possible. But the reality is, how many of us spends all day everyday in the library studying with only 30 minutes break as intervals? And okay, if you are nearing your deadlines or exams, you can always ask for leave - noting that you work a part time and not a full time job, so you are entitled to ask for leave.
With regards to having breaks, per say you've spent atleast 5 solid hours working on your assignment in the library, you could then leave for work and take it as a break! And when you come back from work, get yourself all freshen up and you can proceed again on your work....
And the best part is, when you're at work, you get engrossed with your job so much that the 4-5 hour shift (or even 8 hour shift) is for you to take a pause from your work and get back to it! I found it really productive for me to come back to studies after taking a break and I'm pretty sure like most of us, we do end up taking hours of breaks.... so why not make money out of it at the same time? If you're lucky, the people at your workplace might even end up being your closest friends and its like spending time with your friends whilst getting paid at the same time! How amazing is that?!
Okay, so both jobs I worked were "Food and Beverages" and it was such a blessing! I didn't have to spend time or money to grocery shop as often anymore, neither did I have to spend hours every day to cook and wash the dishes in the kitchen. I constantly had food from each job and by the time I get home from work, all I needed to do was to have a quick shower, a quick nap (if I'm too tired) and straight away get back to studying
You learn time management.
You don't leave things to the last minute. Because you know how busy you'll get within time, you'll start everything earlier and not because you can, but because you have to. And its amazing how having jobs affected my progress in assignments. Most of the time I've already gone through finishing half of my assignment just 2 weeks after they were released....
You educate yourself on the value of money
Seriously, there is nothing more I have to say for this part but only when you start working would you value money, A LOT !
Humility, independent - and character building!
When you're working part time jobs, there will be many incidents when you will do something wrong and you wouldn't get the usual "Everything will be okay" that you get from your parents when things go wrong. It's about admitting to yourself that you've done something wrong and you're liable for it. Having to say sorry to people because customer service is always important even if you're not wrong but your colleague is. Per say when I made a 6-inch subway sandwich wrong, I had to answer directly to the customers and not even have anyone else to back me up for it.... only to realise that these little things actually build up your character. In a way making you more independent.
It's also the many times I had to leave my friends or not attend the many times they hung out, those were the small decisions I had to make - which I feel has contributed to me being more independent. Having to commit to your responsibilities in life while making sacrifices.
Humility comes when you have to work with others, who might not come from the same usual background as most of the people you hang out with, your circle of friends etc. When you have to scrub the floor or clean the tables after someone else. And those are the times you tend to realise your own habits that might be bad but no one ever told you it was wrong. I remembered having to mop the floor and having some ignorant customers coming in, stepping on the wet floor..... URGH. Then it got me thinking, have I ever unintendedly do this to other workers even maybe? Oh especially those who play with their phones endlessly while ordering food, not having to bother looking at the person serving them.... gah the list just goes on, but I became more conscious of my self-being and how I treat others around me
And,
You'll get out of your comfort zone and learn so much more... the list is endless! If it helps, before you make a final decision on deciding not to work a part time job, write a pros and cons list, and weight it out yourself :)
If you're updated with my previous post, I had 3 part time jobs in my final year and alhamdulillah, graduated with a 2:1; the same grade as most of my friends (who did not have any part time jobs). In fact, there are so many other graduates out there who's graduated with a First Class and had jobs throughout university, yet having their own time and time for friends.
If they could do it, why can't you?
(Note: This is obviously based on my personal experience, observation and advice so please don't rely on it completely but please do make a pros & cons list before you make this decision!)
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