If you’re a funds-challenged student, summer isn’t the season for relaxation. It’s often a time to pick up extra shifts, maybe even a second job. Hustling for some extra cash can be very exciting at first, but get stressful fast.
Yet what you lack in time, you make up for in wisdom. Case in point, here are some truths only you’ll understand only if you have more than one job:
1. You can’t leave the house without packing an extra outfit.
Having two or more jobs often means having different outfits that you’ll need for your day, such as a uniform. More often than not, you will have to pack a bag and travel with your outfits for the day everywhere, and getting into them in the most random places. While it may sound like a cute Sailor Moon-esque transformation, it isn’t always the most fun. It can mean having to get dressed in the restroom at one job in a hurry before going to the next.
2. You’ve got your commute times down to a science.
If you don’t have a car, public transportation will become your new best frenemy. Memorizing bus and train schedules is key to getting wherever you have to be on time. This also means a large part of your commute will be spent waiting at, or rushing to, transport stops. And if you miss your bus or train, Uber will be your last resort, usually at the cost of an hour of work.
3. You don’t really have “free time” in your day.
It’s a given that having two jobs will take up most of your time. However, many people don’t realize that this could really mean having little to no time for the most basic things — like eating. It’s hard to fit in anything else in the short breaks in your day. You may have to choose between grabbing a snack, using the bathroom, or answering your friends’ messages.
4. You’re great at multitasking.
A positive outcome of those short breaks between jobs — you have multitasking superpowers. Need to eat your lunch while running to the bus stop? No problem.
5. You have to plan family/friend hangouts weeks in advance.
This lack of free time makes you realize how little time you’ll have to spend with others. It’s hard to ask for time off to go out when you’re working so much, and days off feel few and far between. When you do have them, you’ll usually spend them catching up on chores, or sleeping.
6. You end up thinking about one job while at the other.
It’s a well-known fact that work can follow you everywhere. When you work two jobs, this means one job’s drama following you to the other. You can even end up complaining about one job to your other coworkers.
7. Payday is twice as nice.
Of course, one of the best parts of working so much is being paid. Sometimes, your paydays sync to where you get a new check every week. This makes you feel like a baller. A very tired baller.