Now...Do I get a second job?

[jynx_tsilevon]

SO I got accepted into summer research! All signed up an everything, which is a huge relief to get that weight off my chest. It means that I'm finally getting some Engineering experience AND I'm getting paid to do it.

40 hours a week for 11 weeks. It's a nice gig. AND it technically pays more than the job I am quitting AND I get paid monthly (instead of at the end of the program like I originally thought).

I'm making about 11$ an hour doing research. It's...a huge relief.

But since I work Monday through Friday, technically 9a-5pm or something (about 8 hours a day, give or take), I technically COULD work a second job.

Granted, I applied to be a lab tech for the computer labs here, and am going to apply to the catering place at the University Union, and I've asked the school of BME if they need tour guides (which is normally a paid position) but I'm torn.

On one hand, I could actively look for a second job and make extra income on top of the 40 hours a week gig. That means I would make a lot of money over the summer if I could land a second job that would only work me nights or weekends. There's never anything wrong with extra income.

But...
It'd be the first time in three years that I'd have weekends off and be home by 6 pm. I could hang out with Owl, who just got promoted at work and now he has a steady schedule that gives him set times off too. It'd kind of be nice to see him when it's not dark out (Ie: some other time than if I'm awake between midnight and three am).

So I'm sitting here, at a conundrum.
The responsible thing to do is to get another job and work 60-70 hours a week over the summer before school starts again in the fall. Though it won't pay for tuition, it'll he lower loans and balance out my cost of living (which is roughly 600$ a month).

The more "fun" thing to do is allow myself weekends and only work one job.

I don't know what to do .-.

Comments

[nashipants]

I would recommend working the one job for the first half of the summer, and then after that start actively looking for a second job that you can then continue during the school year. This way if the research job is more harrowing than you thought it would be, you haven't shot yourself in the foot by overworking yourself while you get the hang of it, but you can still get some extra money during the summer by segueing into your next job once you're comfortable with the workload.

[jynx_tsilevon]

I have no idea if I could support a job next fall though, with Senior Design. .-. It's rumored to be 40-60 hours of commitment for that one class.

[novel_machinist]

The responsible thing is to not kill yourself working 60-70 hours when you don't need to. Enjoy the time with your loved ones and enjoy the weekends off. You won't have them during the school year.

Trust me, I know where you're coming from 100% I used to work 40+ hours a week at my day job then work another 15-20 a week at the writing gig. It's not worth the lost time. <3 If you can pay all your bills then you're doing good.

[jynx_tsilevon]

I am always told that idle time is wasted time but it's good to hear that you're allowed to give yourself weekends.

[novel_machinist]

Yeah, people told me the same bullshit too. You time and self care is very important, play a video game, read something you want to read, sleep in. As long as your bills are paid and you can survive then you're golden.

[jynx_tsilevon]

Noted!

[whitemage]

Research is a horrifically tough gig most of the time and it will eat your brainpower and energy.

I'm only putting in 10 hours a week right now--technically--and yet it pretty well creeps into every minute of my day somehow.

The "responsible thing" is not to work 60 to 70 hours a week. The "responsible thing" is to take care of yourself and learn what a work/life balance looks like for you now, rather than when you're 25 and burned out.

Hell yes, allow yourself nights and weekends. Do something creative and fun. Hang out with people you love. Fill up your Positive Energy Tank or whatever you call it so you can rocket through research and power through your remaining semesters.

And if you can't hold a job in the fall and money's going to be tight? Figure out how much you can save off what you earn this summer. Start talking to your school and graduated seniors this summer! You are not the only person who has been there, I promise.

Captialism tells you that idle time is wasted time just because they haven't found a way to make money off it (unless you're actively buying a service/product to use in your leisure time--which is also a-okay if you have the budget for it).

Humanity tells you that people need breaks, and rest, and time to unwind. It makes them more productive and more actualized as real people.

There, there's your dirty neo-Marxist psychologist rant for the day. I'll send you the bill. I can be paid in donuts.

[jynx_tsilevon]

I feel guilty because during the semester, up til when I turned in my two week's notice, I was:
-Working a part time job (12-25 hours a week)
-A full time student
-Doing 3 credits of research (10-15 hours a week)
-President of a student organization (2-3 hours a week of work)
-Volunteering with other organizations (varied, no more than 5 hours a week though)

Like...free time is a foreign concept for me. But I kind of want some, because I feel like I won't be tired all the time if I could find a moment to just...sit.

But I feel guilty /not/ doing things.

Either way, I like your neo-Marxist psychology but is it okay if I pay in cookies? I can't make donuts.

[whitemage]

Absolutely. The liberated market accepts many forms of barter, to promote equal access to goods and services.

Yeah, the need to be constantly "busy" and fill all hours is a really common one. But it's been shown in studies to actually decrease overall productivity in individuals. "Free time" is not actually an optional thing. It's not wasted. It's you resting. Just as you need to sleep, you also need periods of psychological recovery when your mind is conscious as well, to organize your thoughts and feelings, help you feel connected to others, and get to know yourself psychologically.

Sitting is necessary for being healthy.