Getting a Job in College: Second Thoughts

Stephen Krieder Yoder, Isaac Yoder and Levi Yoder:

Isaac: My first semester at college was as fun and stimulating as I had hoped. Several classes already have changed my way of thinking, and I have a group of new friends.
But not everything went according to plan: I went back on one decision I made before going into college — the decision to not work a job during the college year.
Dad and I had agreed before college that if taking my studies seriously was my most important goal, spending time and energy working a job could detract from that goal. My part-time job at a tea shop in high school created many sleep-deprived days at school and made it more difficult to complete all my assignments well. Though I ended up succeeding despite the extra work, I thought that this added stress would be more problematic in college, when I would have more, and harder, schoolwork.
But after only my first semester, I’ve already begun to work a job in student government, in addition to my other extracurriculars.