Attending college is an expensive venture for many students, which makes holding a job an important part of many lives on campus.
Drake students are employed at a variety of places in a number of different fields. While some have to commute to jobs at malls and coffee shops, others have jobs located around campus, like Cowles Library, the Bell Center, and the front desks of residence halls. Whether off or on campus, every job has its pros and cons.
“Ideally, I would have liked a job on campus,” sophomore Ruby Carlson said. “But I guess now I feel like I have a big girl job.”
Carlson recently accepted a position at Old Navy at the Merle Hay Mall, having heard from several classmates that Old Navy works well with limited schedules.
According to a study done by the American Association of University Professors in 2005, more than 80 percent of undergraduate students between the ages of 16 and 24 were employed.
When asked how many Drake Students were employed, sophomore Anne Samuelson had to stop and think.
“I would say maybe 40 percent,” Samuelson said.
Samuelson has worked for Mars Café for almost a year, and a half.
“I didn’t need the money. It’s more just something that gives me something to do,” Samuelson said.
Time is a major factor of concern among busy college students. While some like Samuelson feel that they have time to spare, others, such as Carlson, feel they must be careful when dictating what they do with their free time.
According to the Drake website, “the typical Drake student works eight to twelve hours per week.”
“I probably only have 15 hours to myself a week,” Carlson said. “I’m definitely nervous that the time I have to put into my job will affect my studies, but I also just have to be making money right now.”
For those employed on campus, Drake offers a federal work study to those who need it as part of their financial plan. Drake’s hourly rate begins at $7.25 and increases depending on how long you are employed and what requirements each specific job needs.
“I’m paid bi-weekly at Old Navy,” Carlson said. “Only once a month? That would be great on payday and crappy the rest of the month.”
Tyler Thompson, a senior musical theatre major, works two jobs — one is off-campus at Express in Merle Hay Mall and the other is on-campus in the Harmon Fine Arts Center box office.
“I prefer my on-campus job because I can get my homework done and it’s not as hands-on as Express, so it’s less stressful,” Thompson said.
Thompson works an average of 30 hours a week and is also actively involved in the productions on-campus. However, he does not feel that the work negatively affects his studies.
“I’m not sure how I do it,” Thompson said. “I just know it has to be done.”
