roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet,” Aristotle once said. I can agree with that, especially when combining work and college. It’s a balancing act, a juggling act, a huge, acrobatic leap into the air without the net. Only, you’re not trained for a decade before attempting such a risk; you learn on-the-job.
American culture depicts the college life as one big party. MTV loves to portray this through their Spring break bashes. This is NOT the case. One is constantly swamped with essays, lab studies, vocabulary terms, and homework. You are lucky if you’re only a few assignments behind. Tests have no mercy, and you spend hours cramming the night before. Although you tried your best, you only got a C. Now, thanks to competition, you need to study harder. The particular program you want to enroll in accepts only A’s and B’s. Throw work in the mix, and pressure rises.
Winn-Dixie. Since my dream job is to help customers pick out apples, being assistant produce manager is ideal. Having an elderly southern woman dressed in pajamas with rollers in her hair approach you to ask for something that you would not ever possibly have is exciting. Dashing between cleaning, stocking, and cutting fruit is hectic. Not to mention having to go through and pick out the rotten, out-of-date produce, as well as unloading the trucks. Working with an old man, a lazy man, and a middle aged, frail woman make this even more enjoyable. When I receive my paycheck, it hardly feels worthwhile.
College expenses make you eat McDonald’s. Even after what the Pell grant will allow, you’re going to be broke. It seems that they calculate how much you make, and that’s exactly what you owe them. This hardly enables leisure time, as if I could find any. You save for six months straight, and in one day it all disappears. This process is repeated every semester, and seems to be more expensive each time. After tuition payments and your bank account is emptied, you have to find a way to...