I volunteer a lot, and I really want to go back to my home state this summer, but I also need money to help fund my way through college and you know pay, for my athletic fees and gear, as well as just other little expenses. I am not sure what to do. I am planning to start a lawn mowing business/ raking/ shoveling business but I’m worried that won’t be good enough for money/look good on college applications. I’m kind of rambling sorry, I am just anxious and have been awake for way too long.
I also don’t want to have to sacrifice my volunteer work, my sports and extra-curriculars, or my grades for an hour by hour job like working at perkins or something.
A job shows there is more to you than what you study. IMHO it gives you more depth.There’s a story. You did volunteer. A lot. Then what happened? There’s likely a great college application essay in this. If not now, by the time your summer of working is done, there will be. I wish you the rest you need tonight and I wish you the best in this process.
Most colleges don’t care whether you have a job or not but a summer job helps improve your aptitude in other areas and it therefore helps your college application without being a factor in itself. Do what furthers your aptitude or ability to qualify for other educational activities that interest you. Any passion that you have lets you pick up skills in other areas that can be applied to your studies unless you let it overtake them.
If you “don’t want to have to sacrifice (your) volunteer work, sports and extra-curriculars and grades” then you should probably rethink your decision to get a job.
Your employer will be happy to work around your school hours, and will realize that you need to keep your grades up. But, to be honest, he doesn’t care about that other stuff. What matters to him is not helping you become fully actualized. He cares about paying his mortgage, and wants employees who can work the hours he needs them to work.
That’s a big part of why I love kids having jobs so much. For some of them, it’s the first time in their lives that the focus is not on everyone else adapting to their schedule. Instead, their schedule is expected to adapt to the needs of their employer.
I talked it over with my father and he agreed that opening my own small mowing/raking/shoveling business would probably be best, as though those are things I enjoy doing (yes, I like doing them) and I could be more flexible with my hours.
My son did that as a kid.
Consider a webpage and business cards-- you can get some at a reasonable price at vistaprint
Thanks, everybody!
Colleges like to see you be productive over the summer…be it working at a camp, beach club, McDonalds, taking courses, or babysitting your siblings.
Advertise on Nextdoor.com which allows you to contact your neighbors…and see if your town has a FB group as well.