Hey everyone!
I just got my first job! I went to training on Saturday and I begin the official training on Tuesday! I’m really excited about starting work and having my own money!
My question is, do any of you have any tips for balancing school and a job? Also, if you guys have saved the money for your job, what did you save it for?
When it comes to balancing a job and school, school has to come first.
If you feel like the job is too much w/ school, know that you might need to cut down on hours.
I’m a senior right now and I had my first job last summer and saved up a pretty good amount of money. I mainly just use the money on everyday purchases, hanging out friends, going out to eat. It is nice to have the money when you need it. Don’t go too crazy and buy unnecessary things.
Thank you @zbthsjunior!
Be punctual. It’s not like school where you can have a certain number of absences and tardies. Also, it’s ok to quit if you can’t balance everything.
Talk to your manager about your schedule early and often! I would alternate between periods where I could only work one or two days a week in the morning (musical tech week) and times when I could work five nights a week. My manager was willing to work with me for both, and it also made things less awkward when I needed time off for mental health reasons (summer before college I took a whole week off after I had to do seven eight-hour shifts in a row).
Bring light homework to do during your break; usually English readings are good.
Right now I actually have two savings accounts. One I have easy access to and is for emergencies (e.g. taking a taxi back from a concert if the subway isn’t running) and I use mainly so it’s “out of sight, out of mind” when I’m shopping. Started with $500, now it’s about $250 (I’ve been trying to put money back in). The other is high-interest and I cannot access it, only my parents can. I started school with about $3K in it, my parents covered my tuition and school supplies, and they recently took $1200 out to take care of the security deposit on the house I’m living in next year. The rest of it I’m saving to help me do a summer abroad after my sophomore year.