That IS a pretty sucky shift to have as I know teens and college kids aren’t doing a lot socially during the morning hours, but there are probably other ways to make money than a minimum wage job. One kid, in addition to a regular job, puts up a flyer in the library willing to babysit, dog sit, plant sit, yard work, odd jobs, etc. 2 benefits - it pays better per hour than minimum wage and you can always say no to a particular job if it conflicts with some plans you might have. Maybe this might work for you but maybe you are content with less cash than my kids. In addition to spending money, mine have banked enough savings to start investing.
On the one hand, this story about some entry level teen with at the time 3 years of high school(?) under one’s belt, and probably limited or zero previous work experience is just teeing yourself up to be hammered especially by people who have started at bottom and worked their way up. If you’d had more to offer some employer I’d guess you could have got a cushier better paying job.
On the other hand, even in honors program, you’ll probably have more free time than in high school, so juggling a part time job (eg 10 hours/week) with school could help you further develop time management skills which would help you no matter what you do in future. However, I would say give yourself a semester to get your bearings before taking a job. Good luck.
Because if you work and earn your money, you appreciate your education more. Besides not having to ask your parents money is better for your self esteem.
My point might not be relevant to why college students need money, but rather–having a job is a good way to build a resume. So when you get out of college, and you’re searching for employment, what can you list on your resume to show you can handle the working environment? Even entry level jobs are going to ask for one to two years of experience. If you just had one job, what then?
Yet another reason why I don’t hire students who have had no recent work experience.
My team pays way more than minimum wage but I would never, ever want someone with an attitude that they’re above any kind of work on my team.
What about things like shampoo? Soap? Toothpaste? I consider those “needs” rather than “wants”…
OK, all snarkiness aside, some reasons you may want some money next year:
- Academics: at some point during the school year, you'll need refills of pens, pencils, loose leaf, folders, binders, white out. The batteries on your calculator may need replacement.
- Many colleges have a limit on the number of free copies they'll include, or charge for all of them. Are you bringing your own printer? You'll need reams of paper, and replacement toner in each of the colors.
- Personal Hygiene:: At some point you're going to use up the soap, shampoo, deodorant, whatever mom sent you to school with. Are you really planning to call mom and ask her to send you deodorant?
- You will probably, at some point, need some clothes beyond what you brought along-- new sneakers or a warmer sweatshirt or a new T shirt. Again, are you planning to call mom?
- Food: You're going to want food beyond what's on the meal plan, and the money of free "___ dollars" they include in the meal plan may not cut it.
- Social: Many colleges charge (though at a reduced rate) for admittance into games and movies and activities.
- At some point, the kids in your suite or on your floor, or those with whom you become friendly, are going to leave campus. If you want to go with them, it will cost money. You'll be expected to pitch in for gas, and whatever you do wherever you go will cost money.
- I'm guessing you have a phone? My son is contributing for the monthly costs of his iPhone-- are you doing the same?? How about the costs associated with online play of your Xbox or whatever? And how many charger cords do you go through in a year?
- At some point in the next year (or 4) you may want to date someone. It will cost money.
- At some point during that year, you'll want to visit home. If you carpool, you'll be expected to chip in for gas-- and you can expect to stop for food at some point during the ride.
- Are you bringing a car with you? There's gas, insurance, maintenance. Oh, and most schools charge for a parking sticker.
After that first year: any future employers are going to want a work history. How are you planning to explain this summer off? The only time I ever had a lapse in my job history (from the age of 16 until 56) was the 5 years I spent home with my kids… and during those years I tutored and did lots of freelance writing. My 17 year old son has worked the past 2 summers, and now has a job he’ll keep until he leaves for college in a year, and that they’ll hold for him for vacations. You’ll be competing for jobs in a tight market with kids like my son. So opting out of a job this summer will handicap your future prospects.
-Know that if you opt out of the workforce, against your mom’s wishes, the purse strings may be a bit tighter than you would prefer. She may, like the other adults on this thread, see a real reason for you to work and may wish to illustrate that fact to you. Not as punishment, but as a deal you seem ready to make: that you have enough money for all your wants and needs.
You speak of “wants” vs. “Needs” and I get what you’re saying. But I think you’re expecting college to be all about those “needs” only. The reality is that college is a time for social growth as well as academic. You’re not going to spend the next 4 years buried in a library, wrapped in a cocoon of academics. You’re going to be with people, and many of the things you do with people require money.
One more point: what are your friends doing this summer? Every kid your age I know is working. So you may just find yourself all alone this summer-- with all the joy sucked out of it anyway because your friends have chosen to get jobs.
And that’s just off the top of my head, early on a Monday morning… I’m sure there are more reasons.
A summer job never killed anyone, and yes, it is a good idea. During college you’re going to want to get food that is not at the dining halls, see movies, buy clothes, etc. Even on a college campus not everything is free. Having your own job will give you money to do those things without begging your parents or mooching off of friends (which is not cool).
I’m also curious as to how you’re only going to earn a couple hundred dollars during a summer job. I work minimum wage and make about $3000 full time over the summers. Even if you work part time you should be able to make good money. And you would still have PLENTY of time to do things over the summer. What it is you do with your time that prevents you from having a part time job is a mystery to me. Also, having a job won’t prevent you from advancing academically.
here’s the thing…many many (most?) kids are able to work a summer job and also stay on top of upcoming academics. it’s just not that hard. Working is also overall good…it gives you experience…and it is possible to find rewarding jobs – my kid is coaching a hockey camp and working at a BBQ restaurant and she really likes it.
There is a LOT of space in between a 40 hour/week minimum wage job with a long commute that sucks your summer dry and hanging out with your friends at the mall or beach or wherever all day.
Get a job for 15-20 hours/week close to your home. That’ll give you the opportunity to build your resume and earn some spending money for the next year, while still allowing plenty of free time. If you work 8AM to noon M-F you won’t be missing out on much but making quite a bit of money.,
I think it’s established that there are definitely needs - ongoing things like shampoo and toothpaste; emergency things like if your roommate vomits all over your comforter and you need a new one; potentially warmer clothes or new shoes if yours wear out; school supplies. There are also the wants - going out with friends, ordering pizza when you don’t want caf food, buying yourself a game or a treat or something.
What I’m sort of interested in is why you think you need to know everything in the class before you even start. Presumably the purpose of taking classes is to learn things you don’t already know. Why are you teaching yourself calculus before you take a calculus class? I mean, yes, reviewing some concepts and getting a head start might be a good idea, but I’m quite baffled as to why you think it’s a good idea to teach yourself your entire freshman schedule before you even step foot on campus.
I have to say, if I were hiring someone, I would much prefer a student with a 3.4 and some actual work/internship experience to someone with a 3.9 who spent most of their waking moments outside class teaching themselves the material for their next semester. The latter seems like an inefficient use of time. That’s not to say that you have to get a job now, but it’s something to consider for subsequent summers.
You should definitely change your attitude about “minimim wage jobs”. I worked a job for more than minimum and I was absolutely miserable it was horrible going to work everyday so I quit. Now I have a min wage job and I love it honestly the people are so nice and fun to be around and I don’t dread going to work. Whenever I tell people where I work, they always give me this look or use this tone of voice like they’re better than me. Just don’t have preconceived opinions about any job, it could be nothing like you expect 
Are you my kid?? My son has been putting off looking for a job for a month. We leave for vacation soon and will be gone a week. When we come back my husband told my son if he does not have a job we are taking his phone and car and we will drive him around for applications. Do we really care if he earns a $1000 bucks this summer? Not really- the point is to get out and start earning something on his own. I’m betting your parents feel the same way. Just do it.
<----------- Career counselor here. You NEED to be working summers not so much for the money (Although several people have pointed out why you might need money during the semester, all valid reasons) but because in a year or two you are going to start looking for an internship. They can be very competitive and the students that show a work ethic, ability to work with others, good communication skills, time management, humility, flexibility, responsibility (the things we call soft skills) are the ones who will get the good internships. Those are the skills you develop by working part time and summer jobs. When you graduate employers are going to care less about your 4.0 than they will care about what you have done with your time in college. Sitting around all summer does not reflect positively. You need the “menial” job experience to get good internships and you need good internships to get a good job when you graduate.
And quite honestly NO ONE cares about your GPA after you get your first job. A good GPA is important but so are experience and soft skills.
Just so you know, there’s more to working than just the money. I worked during my summers for the experience and the networking benefits. If you can find a job related to your major or future career, you can definitely benefit from it after graduation when you start the job hunt. You’ll have some sort of work experience to put on your resume, which is very important in this day and age. Unless you’re depending solely on connections to land you a decent salary immediately after school is over, I highly recommend it.
Working a minimum wage job can also motivate you to do well in school so that you don’t have to continue working for minimum wage after college is over, at least that’s the reasoning I’ve seen some other parents use to justify making their kids work during summers.
Personally, I had a job for one semester (learning assistant) and it earned me enough money to spend on all of my trips and eating out for the remaining two years of college. Over this summer, I’m quite reluctant to take a guaranteed job at Taco Bell for the minimum wage while I’m waiting on higher paying, major related internships.
I don’t know, this late in my college career I really don’t want to go as low as one of the min. wage jobs.
Someone gave a list of why you need money
- You want to eat somewhere that's not a dining hall for once.
- You're off campus and don't want to wait until you get back to eat.
- You want to go shopping (physically or electronically).
- You want to get someone a gift.
- You want to buy a supplemental book for a class.
- Laundry and snacks.
- You run out of toiletries.
- You want to buy a T-shirt for an event.
- You want condoms or birth control or cold medicine or Advil or...
- Your friends want to go on a spontaneous trip.
- Movies, minigolf, concerts, sporting events.
- Emergencies.
but here was my experience was like this (a cheapskate )
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Eat at the dining hall and/or your meal plan should have places on campus to eat. If not buy Ramen noodles. Super cheap
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Wait to you get back on campus, your wallets will thank me later.
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Don’t shop for stuff you don’t need. So many kids I know get their paychecks and spend spend spend it all away on stuff they already have.
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Why would you buy someone a gift? Never done that before.
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This could be legit BUT withe the Internet, anything is possible lol.
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I’m lucky enough to just go home for laundry and get snacks from my house I don’t know your situation (sorry if I didn’t read description )
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This is legit.
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don’t buy one time t shirts. Only buy things you can and will actually wear daily.
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lol like I need to buy condoms…pshhh I don’t get laid
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Don’t have friends on campus. So I didn’t worry bout that
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I didn’t go to any movies. And I play sports so it’s not like I needed to pay to watch a game that I’m playing in. Plus during off season the others sports are free since I’m a student.
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this is legit.
So yeah he has good points but you can be a cheapskate like me lol. Js
… and still have no job experience to put onto a resume.
And still have no indication of any sort of a work ethic.
And still be at the bottom of the pack when it come time to apply for any sort of a job in your field.
And still give off a huge sense of entitlement (deserved or not) that any potential employer can smell a mile away.
Tell me, when a future employer asks “So, I see you haven’t ever held down any sort of a job”-- what have you been doing with all that time?" or “What skills do you bring to this job?” what will you answer?
In spite of all you read, GPA is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to getting a job in your career. A future employer will be able to train you in most of what you need. But he or she will be looking for someone with the right attitude, the right people skills, the ability to get along with other employees, with initiative, with an indication of career advancement (that could be indicated by having received raises/promotions at that Taco Bell job)— all things that a letter of recommendation from an employer-- NOT a teacher-- will be able to indicate.
Saying “I had no friends, I didn’t do anything, I didn’t buy anyone a gift. I didn’t want to work that hard for minimum wage, I didn’t want a job to suck the joy out of my summer. Mom and dad took care of everything I wanted until I turned 21…” These are not the responses that will get you an internship or a job in your career.
The BEST preparation I got for teaching was the 7 years I spent working in a seafood restaurant. It taught me so many of those intangible “soft skills” someone else has spoken of.
But, at the end of the day, do as you think is best. My son, at age 17, already has 3 summers of work to put on a resume.
I have had the same minimum wage job for almost three years, and it’s really not that bad. I love having my own money, and unexpected things do happen. I also love the fact that I don’t have to run to mom or dad whenever I need money. My 25-year-old sister still does that; I’m more financially responsible than her.
I work between 20 and 30 hours a week, and I still find time to do fun things with my friends and family. It doesn’t take up as much time as you think. Even if you work 40 hours, you will still have time to do what you want.
It’s more important to do something relevant to school. Internship/research paid or not. That helps you academically. Being a lifeguard or whatever at the kiddie pool doesn’t.
^ As someone who hires for those internship/research (paid) positions, I disagree.