Written by Kellee A Dejbakhsh
Chapel at 9 a.m. Classes until 3 p.m. Work from 4-10 p.m. Social life from 10-11 p.m. Homework from 11 p.m.-1 a.m. Sleep.
This is not the average college student’s life, but for more and more students, this schedule is becoming a reality.
The bad economy has affected people of all ages, and more and more students are taking odd jobs to help them get through school.
Jonathan LaBello, a senior electronic media production major, not only is a full-time student but also a part-time employee at Doc’s Grill and Steakhouse in Searcy.
“I work about 15 to 20 hours a week,” LaBello said.
Listen below to hear LaBello talk about his schedule.
LaBello said he stays busy from working and going to school, and this is the first year he has juggled both responsibilities. LaBello said he took the server job to save money for after graduation and to have some extra spending money.
“It makes it really nice because I don’t have to always eat in the (cafeteria) and I can go somewhere good. I can also take my girlfriend places too,” LaBello said.
When asked if school and work conflict, LaBello said Doc’s Grill is good about working around his school schedule. The only time he has issues is when he has extra homework to do.
“Doc’s is really good to me when it comes to my school schedule. If they accidentally put me on the schedule when I have class, they understand when I tell them I can’t work,” LaBello said. “The only problem I run into is having a lot of homework to do on nights I have to work. If that happens, I have to either stay up later or not hang out with my friends that day.”
Several companies around Searcy have put up “Now Hiring” signs, and the Harding University’s human resources office also posts on-campus and off-campus job listings for the area on its website.
“I luckily got my job through a friend. He worked there for a long time and got me an interview,” LaBello said. “Some advice I would give to any student looking for a job is that they should be able to juggle both school and work. That can be a little hard sometimes if you don’t know what you’re doing.”
It’s not all work and no fun for Labello. He said he believes that working outside of Harding allows him to experience the community more fully.
“Working at Doc’s has allowed me to meet some many different people that I didn’t know existed in Searcy,” LaBello said. “Working at Doc’s isn’t all work sometimes, I have made some great relationships there.”
