First Things First: Struggles for a summer job

Columns June 12, 2019

As May wastes away through long nights of watching cooking ASMRs and worrying over when classes are available, June swoops in with the reminder that you don’t have a job. Three months is a long time if you don’t have much of a purpose. But when I’m happily trapped in a cycle of hedonism, I recall the wisdom of Homer Simpson: “Money can be exchanged for goods and services.” (He also said “$20 can buy many peanuts,” but I want to focus on the first part.)

First things First is a column about issues pertaining to first-year students; it appears in every issue of Nexus (illustration by Tiegan Suddaby).

Now that the opportunity for applying to most scholarships has passed, the door to summer classes has shut, and the hopes of getting your fall classes are too far in the future, the only thing left is to get a job. My advice? Just apply. Hand your resume out like candy. 

Of course, apply to jobs that you really want, but remember that plan B, and plan C, and plan D, and even plan Z are all here too. After all, not everyone is going to call back, and not every dream job is going to be open. Luckily for you, you have time!

If the location is a little more out of the way, but you could still make it, go for it. The worst that could happen is they say no. The minimum is that you get an interview, and that’s enough experience in itself. If your schedule is completely empty, and you’re willing to, you could even try balancing two part-time jobs. Think of all the textbooks, dinners, or peanuts you could buy.

In the meantime, there are always alternate options, such as running a business online, or volunteering for experience and references while you look for paid work. Check in on the job postings in the Fisher building, or keep refreshing the postings online. Something might appear that’s just for you.