College Jobs: One of the Best Ways to Learn

I fondly remember my college years–they were hands down the best four years of my life. While my education and degree were invaluable in kicking off my career, I also gained real-life job experience and confidence from my college jobs.

My college experience began when I ultimately decided to commit to Cal Poly for the range of financial aid and scholarships I received. For the rest of my tuition, I decided to take out loans, which were reasonable and worth every penny.

When I arrived in San Luis Obispo for my first year, it was a huge culture shock to see so many people from all different walks of life. I knew that I wanted a college job because I was raised to understand and appreciate the value of hard work, so I was surprised that working in college carried a stigma.

My college friends and I shared this value and grew up understanding that working is essential, which brought us even closer together. Within our first year, we all got jobs and kept them until graduation. On many college nights, my roommate and I faced the dilemma of going out with friends or picking up an extra shift. We often chose the extra shift and found joy in our jobs and the companionship they brought, knowing it would be the right decision to set us up for future success. Surrounding myself with people who shared this sentiment eased the stress of balancing my shifts, studies, and social life.

Throughout college, I held many jobs, from operating the front desk at the housing department and hosting at restaurants to assisting at a bakery and event planning at a start-up. Working such various roles was funny at times–one day, I’d drive onto an army base to work an event, and the next, I’d add sprinkles to mounds of cookie dough. Once you’re on campus, it’s easy to stay within the college bubble, but my off-campus jobs connected me with the world outside of Cal Poly, allowing me to learn and grow in the community I was living in.

While juggling my classes, jobs, and social life, I learned time management skills to keep me balanced. I learned to cherish my time with friends and schedule my school work, jobs, and social plans accordingly, relying heavily on my planner, which had each day’s schedule written out to the hour and allowed me to make the most of each day.

My college jobs gave me essential, real-life experiences I might not have learned through my traditional education. My understanding of money and how to budget and spend was the most impactful. Since my money was hard-earned, I focused most of my energy on saving and only spent it when it aligned with my budget.

I also learned to support myself, which gave me confidence in navigating my post-grad life and career. I always wanted to work in the media industry, which is a notoriously challenging and competitive field. For many, it’s why they chose a different path; however, my budgeting experience allowed me to support myself in New York City on an entry-level salary. Even though I’m making more money than I did during college, I’ve kept my college budgeting habits, reached savings goals, and kept my spending in check with the discipline I learned during my undergrad years.

Working college gigs prepared me for life in NYC, where I had to manage multiple jobs simultaneously. When I first moved here, there were some days when I worked at the TODAY Show in the morning and ended my nights working at a restaurant as late as 1 a.m. Since then, I’ve graduated from the NBC Page Program, continued my content creation side hustle, and currently assist three news anchors. While I don’t expect to hustle this hard forever, learning this skill in college prepared me for post-grad life and the challenges in store. Rather than feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of hustling so hard to achieve my dreams, I understand that this effort is what will ultimately lead me to success.

I’m proud to say that I paid off all my loans within a year of graduating, thanks to my college jobs, the lessons they taught me, and the friends who supported me throughout. Every day, I feel rewarded for putting myself through school with the sheer drive and determination I learned from my college experiences. Going to Cal Poly was the best decision I could’ve made, and it’s comforting to look back and know that this choice set me up for my future success. My college jobs gave me the confidence to know I could succeed after graduating, and I am forever grateful.

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