Eliandro Ramirez Chang
Normal jobs suck.
Most of us don’t like going to work, and that’s because sometimes we end up in jobs that feel unfulfilling or draining.
Sometimes we take what we can get, either because of a paycheck or the benefits, even when there’s no soul in it, when the passion isn’t there.
That’s not to say all jobs are misery pits. I’ve met people who love working as a barista at a Starbucks or as a T-Mobile sales representative.
The barista loved her job because of the people she worked with. The sales representative was able to support herself and move out at on her own before she was 21.
But most of us aren’t as lucky. Not everyone lands an entry level job that turns out to be magnificent.
In my case, I’ve worked three jobs outside of FIU and two within the university .
One of them was as a overnight stock guy for BJ’s Wholesale Club, a sales associate for Gap in Dolphin Mall, and the other as a security guard at a condominium.
Each of them were hellish in their own way.
The overnight job had me sleeping all day and working all night, I would get into work around 11pm and leave at around 8pm.
It was terrible.
I had little to no free time and it really made me grateful I was a college student and only working this job over winter break.
Retail was literal hell, and anyone that has worked retail before knows what I am talking about. I once got to work at 5pm and left at 6am, yes in the morning.
The security job was just life draining. Not much happens during an eight hour shift, five times a week.
You can only look at a screen for so long before you begin to lose your mind.
I stayed there for over a year and it felt like a year of my life was sucked away from me. So not many positive things to say.
So it’s not surprising that I haven’t mentioned a single positive thing about any of these places.
It isn’t that they were nonexistent, only that the negative vastly outweigh the positive.
Last semester I had three jobs; two on campus and one outside. By an extreme margin, the campus jobs I have held have been phenomenally better.
I have worked as a security guard at the Frost Museum and as a peer educator at the Victim Empowerment Program.
Both places have been absolute gems when it comes to caring about their employees and working with a busy schedule. So much so that I was able to manage being a full-time student and held three jobs.
That was not by accident, both places here at FIU have been a dream to work with.
The lovely people at VEP have been nothing but helpful and understanding when it came to scheduling, and I have nothing but positive things to say about management and the people who work there.
The same exact thing could be said about the Frost Museum. FIU has some of the most compassionate higher-ups I have ever met.
But sadly, every good painting has a tilted frame.
The worst thing about working at FIU would be the pay and the hours. If deciding to work here on campus, keep in mind that there is a 20 hour a week limit for students, and don’t expect a luxurious paycheck.
The absolute worst thing about campus jobs is the pay. There is not nearly enough money in the paycheck.
Personally I’ve overlooked the pay because ultimately, the flexibility of the schedule and genuine care I have experienced from my higher-ups has been outstanding.
That alone is worth the decrease in pay I am used to. Though this has been one student’s experience. I am sure FIU campus jobs have its own share of horror stories, but I couldn’t be happier working on campus.
So far, at least.
DISCLAIMER:
The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
Photo retrieved from FIUflickr.
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