<p>So I'm going into my sophomore year and planning on getting a job since I'll be living in an apartment and not a dorm (where my food and things are included).</p>
<p>I'm hoping to only work a few days a week because I'd imagine that I'll only need money for groceries and things like that. (My school and apartment are covered by my full scholarship).</p>
<p>The only thing that concerns me is that I'm heavily involved in ECs. My fraternity is extremely important to me and I'm an officer on my campus's Inter-fraternity Council. I also do a lot of volunteer work (this is through my fraternity since I'm the Philanthropy Chairman of my organization).</p>
<p>Why not live in the house with your brothers?....or do they not have a house? </p>
<p>Some of the guys I work with at the rec are in very active fraternities and seem to make things work. They work generally during the day between classes so they have free time at night for house activities.</p>
<p>The reason I'm going to be living in an apartment and not our chapter house is because the apartments are owned by our university (and are brand new for that matter) so my scholarship will pay for them. If I lived in the fraternity house, I'd have to pay for it myself. </p>
<p>Next year I'll probably live in the house, but not this year since things are already settled, plus I'll be living in my apartment with 3 of my fraternity brothers.</p>
<p>I wouldn't underestimate the cost of groceries, supplies, and even toiletries that you can need over the course of a school year. Also, any apartment stuff, like furniture, small applicances, and dishes. I spend hundreds of dollars a month for food and misc. things since I live off campus, and that's buying things on sale, but not just living on ramen!</p>
<p>It's definitely doable to be working a bit and have some ECs, but you may not want to work much. (probably not more than 10 hours a week starting out, unless you get to do homework or read on the job like some on-campus ones allow)</p>
<p>Budget your time, and stick to a schedule you create of priorities and commitments.</p>
<p>If you can, get a campus job. They'll work around your schedule much more than, say, McDonalds will.
edit: Bonus points if you get one at a food place on campus, since then you get free food, offsetting your grocery costs a little bit.</p>
<p>My senior year I was financially independent working as a server, living off campus, was on IFC, student government, and extremely heavily involved in my chapter. Plus finishing a double major.</p>
<p>And it really wasn't difficult.</p>
<p>Also, student loans just give you a check and don't ask what you spend it on.</p>
<p>If you want to make it work badly enough, then it will work.</p>