Waking up in the morning and putting on dress pants and a blouse or tie and heading to work for the next eight to 10 hours is completely opposite of “college life.” Instead, students wake up and throw on yoga pants or sweats and head off to a couple hours’ worth of classes and homework with time to chill with friends intermingled throughout the day. The two realities appear to have an inverse relationship, but isn’t the former the inevitable future that results from these four years of “career preparation?”

One goal of college is to be a stepping stone to integration into the workforce of your chosen major by the time you graduate. But another description of college is the four years of life when you get to experience ultimate freedom without responsibilities or consequences that you would face either at home with your parents or later on in life at your job. I believe that there should be a healthy mix of the two perspectives, rather than trying to focus solely on either extreme.

For some students, work is a necessary aspect of their college experience. Many find jobs on or off campus to help pay for tuition and student loans. And work has its benefits.

They range from looking good on a resume to gaining valuable on-the-job experience to having spare cash to accommodate your recent Dominos obsession. Whatever the motivation, there are opportunities for students that they may never get later in life. For example, college is most likely the only time you get to work with coworkers who are your own age and going through the same experiences as you. This can make working more enjoyable because you can meet other students whom you might not have met otherwise.

Between classes, clubs, sports, friends and family, adding work on top of it all can seem overwhelming. However, I have found that another benefit of having a job is that learning time management. Working during college can also teach you how to hold yourself accountable and interact with people who have more authority than you. All of these are essential skills that employers will look for when you apply for jobs after college, and building up these qualities now can only make you a more suitable candidate in the future.

As a student working two different on-campus jobs, I know how difficult it is to maintain this balancing act. But I have found that working has actually helped me in my college career.

When I started to work regularly at a job on campus, I found that my GPA improved from the previous semester. Instead of hanging out in my dorm after finishing classes and homework, I was showing more initiative by working, which actually made me more efficient. I had to adjust my schedule to include time for homework and friends when I was not working or attending classes. This motivated me to get my homework done in a reasonable amount of time so I could spend my free time doing what I wanted. I also feel gratified in my job because I am playing a role in the St. Thomas community instead of just attending classes.

Through my college jobs, I’ve found the realities of college and work life can be combined successfully. While I have had to forfeit simple pleasures like sleeping in later on weekdays to dedicate enough time to my job, I am grateful that I will be more prepared for life after college with the skills and experience I have gained by working on campus.

Claire Noack can be reached at noac8702@stthomas.edu.