Working in college is tough. Keeping up with your studies is a full-time job in its own right. And yet, with the overwhelming cost of school, supplementary income is necessary for many students. What happens when you lose that income?
Scary though unemployment can be in college, there are solutions available. Stay calm and advance with a clear head.
In this article, we take a look at what to do if you get fired from your job while in college.
Don’t Panic
It can be very frightening to lose your job while in college. You are independent, probably for the first time in your life, and all of a sudden you lose your paycheck. Scary though the situation may be, it’s important not to panic.
For one thing, unemployment in college is usually not as debilitating as it is in the outside world. Most universities have their own internal infrastructure for supporting students. This doesn’t mean that unemployment is inconsequential. It does mean that your situation is common and fixable.
Though acting fast will be important, it’s still a good idea to take a breath, and calm yourself down. Entering the process of finding a new job with a clear head will significantly improve your odds of finding a solution to this problem that suits your needs.
Examine Your Expenses
Without a job, budgeting becomes more important than ever. Until you recover your income, it’s important to examine your expenses and look for ways to trim the fat. For many people, college is the first time they’ve ever had to think about their expenses at all.
Are you spending more money than you need to? The average college student spends about $70 a month on fast food, and $50 a month on alcohol. If you can cut expenses like that from your budget, it will go a long way toward stabilizing your expenses as you look for a new job.
Remember: paying for your food and shelter take priority when funds are limited.
Evaluate Your Loan Situation
No student wants to use more loan money than is necessary. That said, it is through student loans that most college-aged people pay for their lives at university, with or without supplementary employment. Naturally, you don’t want to go into more debt than is necessary.
However, if there is a question of whether or not you can pay for food or shelter, it may become prudent to evaluate what sort of access you have to loan money.
Contact the School
Most schools will have infrastructure in place for students who are struggling financially. These resources may vary from university to university, so contact your school immediately if you feel you are in need of assistance.
They may have programs that connect you with meals. They may even be able to offer you some form of employment. It takes many hundreds of workers to keep a college going. Many of these people are students.
If you are experiencing food insecurity, you may also look into college clubs. Many student-led organizations will feed participants with no questions asked. No matter how bad things seem, most colleges won’t let their students fall through the cracks.
Look for More Work
The good news for people looking for college employment is that the job market is currently very receptive. Not only are there many openings for positions, but the pay has become fairly competitive. Hopefully, these factors will make it easy to find employment.
While there may be many avenues to find work in the community you are in it may be a good idea to check first with your university. School jobs will almost always accommodate your academic schedule in a way that, say, Dairy Queen, might not.
That said, you should of course prioritize your studies above all else. Even if things feel tight and urgent, you can’t select a job that would undermine your reason for being at school in the first place.
Working full-time while going to school isn’t easy, and the tension of losing your job while also incurring an enormous expense can be almost overwhelming. However, by staying calm, remembering your priorities, and making a sensible employment decision, you can navigate the situation successfully.
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Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren
With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.
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