Student is doing school work before going into work. 
Sophomore Kelli Cielencki is doing homework before she attends her part time job as a swim coach. 
Kelli Cielencki begins to prepare for work after doing her assignments. 
Kelli Cielencki continues to gather her materials before her shift. 
Kelli Cielenski walks with a purpose before setting up her swim stations. 
Kelli Cielencki does a little purposeful play in the water to help kids get comfortable. 
Kelli Cielencki pours water on a child’s head to help her enjoy the water. 
Kelli Cielencki makes a BIG splash. 
Kelli Cielencki sings a song with her swim kids. 
Kelli Cielencki goes “driving” to distract the kids from their nerves in the water.
For many college students, the day is not limited to only a lecture in a classroom on campus. Instead, it continues with clocking in for a shift, answering emails, communicating with customers and clients, or working with children. Working in college has become more and more common, and between doing schoolwork and making a paycheck, college students are learning how to balance their education and jobs all at the same time to help them in the future.
For Texas State student and swim coach Natalie Munoz, working 16 hours a week on top of her designated class schedule forces her to manage her time wisely. She says that planning ahead and setting boundaries keeps her focused throughout the week. “I do not get on my phone after a certain time and by telling people no when I have to,” Munoz said. “When I’m not working, I dedicate myself to work because I know I won’t have time to after.”
For Munoz, her motivation comes from something even bigger than getting good grades or having a lot of money. It comes from being the first one in her family to go to college. “My family motivates me to do well in school,” Munoz said. “I am a first-generation student and that means a lot to me.” Even with this motivation, having multiple responsibilities can be stressful, but Munoz still pushes to keep a positive mindset balancing school and her job. “I often feel overwhelmed trying to balance it all, but because of this I have become a greater advocate for myself,” Munoz said.
Lily Craft, another student at Texas State University who also works while attending school, shared a similar experience of balancing responsibilities. While working slightly less hours to make sure she can manage both work and school more efficiently, she still often feels overwhelmed trying to do everything all at once and has to come up with a way to help manage her stress. “The way I handle that is taking things one step at a time, since it’s easy to get overwhelmed when looking at everything you have to do at once,” Craft said.
Experts say these experiences are common for working college students, and often times these students are left feeling stressed and overwhelmed with their workload. According to Mental Health America, it is recommended by school administrators that “students ideally work 10-15 hours per week” giving them enough time to spend doing their assignments, doing the things they love, and building relationships.
Unfortunately, a lot of students do not have the luxury of working minimal hours a week.
While many students are working to make a little extra cash, others are working to sustain themselves, pay their rent, afford rising gas prices and, some might argue, the most important, tuition. According to a study done by the Lumina Foundation, 64% of college students work, and 40% work full time. This highlights the fact that college students are having to take on more responsibilities, balancing work and academics which require discipline, sufficient time management skills, and support.
Students are working hard to be able to live, including college student and H-E-B employee Ginobili Perez. He works almost a full time schedule while tackling the traditional college student life. Perez, like many others, works to pay for his own housing and classes without any assistance. “It’s stressful. It really is. I work all week and still have to balance school work, a social life, and my mental health,” Perez said. While he does deal with plenty of stress, he also recognizes the benefits of juggling all of his responsibilities. “It has helped me have an amazing work ethic, and I know it will help me for whatever is thrown at me in the future.” Although working can add pressure, it can also teach valuable life skills.
Employers who hire college students often see these qualities firsthand. Swim school business owner Jackie McDonnough who employs several college students expresses her enthusiasm working with college students and loves the work hard and motivation they bring to the workplace. “It’s actually a pleasure. They are often very motivated and eager to learn. They understand responsibility. They bring great energy and enthusiasm to our daily operations,” McDonnough said. She says having these qualities, as well as being “coachable and adaptable” make for an excellent employee.
For many students, working isn’t an option. It’s a necessity. From paying rent to covering tuition costs, their financial responsibility is what keeps them going. Although balancing a job and school can be difficult, for many students, it is all worth it.
