Working on Campus

Working+on+Campus

Matias Abril, Staff Writer

Class, homework, extracurriculars, and social life are all essentials to a college student and their future success. Working a campus job while in college is another addition to a student’s already busy schedule, but it can be a benefit to them. As a campus worker myself, I’ve experienced it first-hand. In my opinion, its flexibility is its biggest asset. I can ride my bike from my dorm in Northlake to my job in five minutes, walk-in ten, or take one of FGCU’s free shuttles.

FGCU offers many on-campus job opportunities for students to meet new people, make connections, and earn money. It can be with FGCU dining at any of the restaurants on campus, a tutor, or even a peer coach.

In the year and a half that I’ve worked at FGCU’s Chick Fil A, inarguably the most crowded restaurant on campus, I’ve had to work in between classes and homework and extracurriculars. Last semester, after my schedule got even busier, I had to cut my hours, but that came at the expense of getting paid less. Getting paid less means I didn’t have much spending money.

It took me a while to adapt to this sacrifice, but I found it useful, and it has exponentially increased my grades and has opened my free time while still having some spending money. I had to balance my schedule to make sure I didn’t leave one thing hanging.

Despite its flexibility and accessibility, working on campus can be stressful to some, especially freshmen who are trying to adjust themselves to college. FGCU freshman Tristan Williams started working at FGCU’s Chick Fil A in his first semester in college. He had a difficult experience balancing his on-campus job with his other activities.

“This was a big adjustment for me to deal with as a freshman in my first semester,” Williams said. “I did not realize how many sacrifices I had to make to be able to work while being a student here at FGCU.”

Williams made sure to prioritize taking care of himself by working out, eating properly, and taking breaks when needed. In order to maintain his grades and social obligations, he had to take a step back from his job.

“Working on campus last semester really taught me a lot about myself and the real world after FGCU,” Williams said.

Another way to earn money on campus is by tutoring. The Writing Lab, which is a part of the Center of Academic Achievement (CAA), aims to help students with their papers with free tutoring. Students who work there can get experience in communication and teaching skills while they are still in school. FGCU junior Evan Manfrediz has been working at the writing lab for a year and a half now.

“Working on campus has been a complete joy for me,” Manfrediz said. “I feel like my life at FGCU and my professional life at the CAA’s Writing Lab have blended in an enriching way.”

Students at FGCU have so many options for on-campus jobs. There are peer coaches who help other students with different tasks. There are also student assistants who work in different offices ranging from The Multicultural and Leadership Development Center to the TRIO program. TRIO is a program that aims to help students and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. FGCU sophomore Karla Trejo works at TRIO Student Support Services as a peer coach and student office assistant in-between her classes.

“I feel that working on campus allows you the opportunity to network with faculty and staff members and make connections that you may not have the opportunity to make at an off-campus job,” Trejo said. “It helps that TRIO is really flexible and considerate of our schedules, so we don’t overwork ourselves.”

Campus jobs teach students much about the workforce and managing their money while they are still in school, so when they leave, they will have the experience already with them. Working on campus for me has taught me a lot about the workforce and what to expect out of it. I don’t regret giving it a chance.