As the end of second semester approaches, the time has come for most of us to nail down what we are doing this summer. For some people, this might mean going back to work at the camp you grew up attending, waiting tables somewhere in your hometown, interning at your cousin’s father-in-law’s college roommate’s company, or maybe heeding the call of one of the twelve emails from the Business Minor Summer Institute and doing whatever it is I keep not reading about. Whatever you choose, ideally it is low pressure, high reward (either monetarily or in resumé-building) and leaves you with enough free time to still enjoy your summer.
I am a freshman, so this will be my first summer home after a year of being gone for college. Last summer, I got away with doing pretty much nothing, and it was glorious. I took long weekend trips with my friends, stayed out all night and slept all day, and had basically no responsibilities. I was so privileged to have that time, and it was truly the most relaxed I’ve ever been. However, my parents kept reminding me that the summer of 2018 was a gift, and it would never happen again.
Around the end of first semester, they started getting on me about finding a job. At first I sort of pushed it off, but when winter became spring, I could delay no longer. Between my two parents, I was getting weekly reminders to find something to do. Summer-centered places like pools and beach clubs were starting to fill up, my friends from home all seemed to have great, easy things falling into their laps, and with every passing week, my parents were growing more and more impatient and it seemed like less and less things were available.
The stress of finding a summer job is real and there are a lot of factors to consider. I want to make decent money, I want to be on a similar schedule to my friends, and I don’t want to be bored out of my mind or beyond exhausted at the end of the day.
For me, this first summer job is also a step toward growing up. I will be forced to have some accountability and responsibility to someone other than my parents and myself, as well as achieving some financial independence for the first time. I look forward to having extra money to have fun with next year, without having to ask my parents for everything I want to do. While of course I would love to spend the summer doing whatever I want, on my own schedule, with no one to answer to, I know that it’s time to get it together a bit more than that.
I still don’t have a job locked down, but I have some options, which is somewhat of a weight off my shoulders. Hopefully whatever I decide meets my requirements. If you too are stressing about a summer job, just remember that it’s only a few months of your life, and no matter how much you hate it, odds are you will survive.
COVER PHOTO: The Plaid Line
About Joely Fishman
Joely hails from Bellmore, NY and is loving exploring her new home of New Orleans. While she loves exploring new restaurants, don't ask her about Taco Bell—she's never been!
Joely hails from Bellmore, NY and is loving exploring her new home of New Orleans. While she loves exploring new restaurants, don't ask her about Taco Bell—she's never been!
