Should I quit my student job?

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>Now I know that none of you are in my shoes and I probably should not be asking you such an important question as to whether I should quit my job or not - but hear me out and if you can, try to give me some advice or insight from a different perspective. That's all I'm looking for.</p>

<p>I'm 19 years old, a first-semester freshman at college, and was recently hired as an office assistant for one of the offices in my university. This whole semester has been a whirlwind of ups and downs for me, and right now I think I've finally hit the bottom.</p>

<p>I've been through sorority rush, got into the best sorority on campus, and then quit the day before initiation. I've switched my major. I've been in and out of clubs. I just can't seem to find a place where I fit in here. I feel lost and aimless.</p>

<p>So then two months ago, I started looking desperately for a job - I figured I could use the extra cash and it might be fun too. Well, surprisingly I beat out around a dozen other people who interviewed for my position and got hired. I was happy because as you all know, the economy sucks, and getting a good paying job like this doesn't come easy.</p>

<p>But now I'm doing what I always do - and I want a way out. The hours are long, it's very lonely, it's boring, and my life has turned into spending 9 hours a day at school or in an office. For the first time in my life, I see no way out and I see no hope for anything better in my life. In the one month I've had this job my social life has completely disintegrated, and now I can't seem to pull it back together.</p>

<p>They told me I'd get winter break off (which is 5 weeks), so I was really happy about the opportunity to have some downtime to regroup and get my life back together - but it turns out I get one week off. The week of Christmas. Which will be busy as heck and gives me no time to do anything.</p>

<p>I'm starting to lose it. I feel like I'm wasting my life away sitting in an office, in front of a computer, watching the hours tick by. I want to quit so badly, but then again, I'd feel so guilty. I'm being ungrateful. I was offered a job that pays well, and my family is so happy that I'll finally be able to pitch in since we're having such a hard time right now.</p>

<p>What should I do? Should I quit? I quit EVERYTHING. I am the biggest quitter you'll ever meet. I can't even stay in a relationship for over 3 months without going crazy! I hate being predictable, and my parents are going to be so disappointed.</p>

<p>Should I stay and be absolutely miserable? Or should I quit and find another way to make money? I was thinking about applying for a job at my school's newspaper for next semester - that way I'd be around people MY age and be able to be creative and do actual work. I just want my life to get better, and staying in this job makes me want to kill myself.</p>

2

<p>I think working is far more important for your life than having a social life. You need to realize that real life requires you to make sacrifices and often times placing you in positions that you’re uncomfortable with. I would not recommend quitting your job unless you have an other one backed up. It’s good to help your parents with expenses and it make you a ungrateful that you want to give it up to hang with friends. Besides, even if you quit your job it sounds like you’ll quit your social life as well so you’d be losing much more than you are now. </p>

<p>Just stick it out. It’s not wasting your life.</p>

3

<p>Real life requires sacrifices, but they should be sacrifices that you aren’t totally reluctant to make. I do agree that you ought to at least have another job lined up if you quit the job.</p>

<p>Do as the Europeans do… work to live, not live to work.</p>

4

<p>School is your full time job. Besides, constantly having no life will eventually diminish your social skills. You need that in both your social and professional life.</p>

5

<p>I agree that you should stick it out and have a back-up if you plan to quit. If you’ve ever had other part time jobs, you know they generally suck. You’re in it for the pay, not some sort of fulfilling, other world experience and if you family needs the money then you have to try to stick with it. Given that its only been a month, I say you need to give it more time, maybe cut down on your hours a bit to relax. I can relate to a job being antisocial, I work Friday and Saturday nights for goodness sake, but I just make plans around it.</p>

<p>If it makes you feel better, I don’t see anything wrong with switching your major or out of a sorority. If you’re not the sorority type, then it’s great that you left before you started paying those ridiculous dues, and PLENTY of people switch majors in college to figure out what they want to do. You’re not a quitter, just experimenting.</p>

6

<p>Keep the job. College is not all about partying, sororities, club life, etc. Having a job makes you prioritize better and a hold of what “real life” is. If anything, you can ask them to cut back your hours a little. Most on-campus positions tend to be pretty flexible in this regard.</p>

7

<p>Have you talked to them about the winter break issue? Did they give you a reason why you wouldn’t get as much time off?</p>

<p>Don’t forget that when winter break is here it won’t be as hectic. You won’t have classes, assignments, and tests to worry about. You just have to worry about work and spending time with your family. All the extra time you have besides work is completely yours to use now.</p>

<p>I say try to stick with it. You shouldn’t be so down on yourself- you beat out 12 other people! It sounds like you’re doing great! All of this just might seem a little overwhelming now, and it is when you first start working and going to school. </p>

<p>You’re only 19, don’t think of yourself as a quitter. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. Now’s the time to be trying things out, seeing what you like and don’t like. Nothing’s wrong with realizing a certain way of life just isn’t for you. </p>

<p>I suggest that you talk with your family- they should be able to give you some great insight.</p>

8

<p>Well I am going to say that it is likely that whatever job you find will be boring and require long hours. But even so you can probably find a job for which the boring parts don’t bother you. Keep looking. Don’t give up.
In one of my jobs I work as a teaching assistant. There are boring parts (i.e. spending time preparing for my discussion section, grading, etc), and there are fun parts (teaching, being around other people). I don’t mind the boring parts so much, and enjoy the rest. My point is if there is no positive aspect to your office job find something else.</p>

9

<p>I say keep it just based on that you say you quit a lot of things. Stick this out. You’re always going to have to do something you dislike, you need to learn to deal.</p>