Every year many college students are faced with the difficulttask of juggling academics and employment. Despite attempts tobalance their time and schedules, school is usually put on the backburner.
Barbara Bekis of the educational support program said workalmost always takes priority over college study. She said academicsare third to work and a social life.
"Some freshmen experienced working full-time in high school anddoing fine on their grades," Bekis said. "They expect to be able tocontinue working full-time in college and make good grades. Usuallythat doesn't happen. Working more than 20 hours per week requires astudent to be really good at self-management."
Freshman Laura Gray is a full-time employee at Journey's in theOak Court Mall and on an average, she pulls in more than 30 hours aweek.
However, she said although school comes first it's easy to getlazy.
"It's really hard to get motivated to do school work becauseyou're tired all of the time," Gray said. "I would love to be ableto just live off my parents and never have to work. But I needmoney. I don't have a lot of bills, but my parents don't pay foreverything anymore."
Nevertheless, Gray is like most students who find it necessaryto be able to have more than just their basic needs met. Cars,clothing and cell phones account for the majority of money thatstudents spend and hardly ever does it stop there.
"Honestly, I don't need to work this much," Gray said. "But I'mused to the money and if I had to go back down to like a50-bucks-a-week allowance, I'd shoot myself."
Bekis agrees. She said students often get into a bind having topay for things they wish they'd never bought.
"I once had a student to call me for help," Bekis said. "Sheworked two jobs and failed her courses one semester. Her professorsdidn't understand that she had other things to do. "
Times are different than when our parents were in college.Because of that students have taken on more financialresponsibilities, from rent and utilities, even healthinsurance.
Sophomore Stephanie Ammons, also an employee at the Oak CourtMall, is especially familiar with the added pressures.
"I think that a lot of students are getting into debt earlier,"Ammons said. "I'm paying for my student loans, credit cards and carpayments. I work like 40-45 hours a week and I go to schoolfull-time. It's hard to find time to got to the library or studyfor your test when you're at work to like, ten at night."
Even though Ammons sometimes has trouble handling everything,she said if possible, students should try and find a common groundwhere they don't have to work as many hours, but are still able topay for the things they need and want.
