Where should SwimmingRiddles work?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

In a decided change from her usual habit of keeping her problems to herself, SwimmingRiddles has decided to both ask the teeming millions for advice, and refer to herself in the third person for this thread. Just to make things interesting.

She works 40 hours a week in a thankless office administrative job. Her office is a converted supply closet without a door, and nary a window to be found. She hates her job. However, it pays $9.40 an hour(keep in mind she lives in Vermont, where cost of living is pretty low, so that’s a moderate entry-level pay), and has fantastic benefits. She also likes her bosses a lot.

But she’s also attempting to go to school at the same time. She lucked out and has a scholarship to take care of her tuition. At the present time, she is taking 9 credits. That’s a three hour course Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Not to take into the copious amounts of homework assigned to her in each of these three classes. She is burning out rapidly.

Because she hates her job, she does it half-assed. She doesn’t like doing anything half-assed, and therefore feels guilty. She also doesn’t have time to do the best she can in her classes, so they are all suffering. She almost broke down during her statistics class last night in frusteration, after bombing one of two exams in the class.

She is beginning to think that maybe she wasn’t designed for a drone-job. She is terribly creative, loves kids, is great with computers, is very verbal. She’d like to get a job using those skills. She is thinking about quitting her full time job and waitressing, to pay the bills. The main attraction to waitressing is the fact that it’s not a 9-5, and that she could work different shifts, therefore breaking up the monotony she now finds herself in.

She knows she’d be good in the tech fields, she’s a great troubleshooter. But she has almost zero experiance. But what she does know is that she is experiancing physical manifestations of stress, most of them as a result of not having enough time to devote to school, which she really wants to be her primary concern.

She realises that asking virtual-friends for life-advice is silly. But she’s merely looking for imput. Wisdom of those who have come before her, and who don’t worry about her immediate well-being, as her parents are wont to do. Her friends are all college students, who, desipte being lovely people, are either bank-rolled by their parents or are in debt so far at this point, they don’t care. Their advice usually isn’t that profound.

If you were 20, and were in SwimmingRiddles’s situation, what would you do? Quit your thankless, though financially secure job and potentially embark on a career of dealing with bad knees, varicose veins, bad tippers? Or stay where you are, because the evil you know is better then the evil you don’t?

A little persistance goes a long way. Announcing:

“I go on guilt trips a couple of time a year. Mom books them for me.” A custom made Wally .sig!

2

You don’t say what kind of place you are working in, but you do mention you love your bosses. Is there any chance of approaching them to negotiate some type of job change or promotion within the company. You say the benefits are great–could those be extended to include some technical training that would be useful both to you and to your current company? Just some ideas.

3

Well Swim (we seem to be chasing each other around today, don’t we?) OTOH, it is a blessing to work for a boss we like and make O.K. money while we do it. If you actually liked what you do it wouldn’t be called work, it would be called fun and you would pay them to do it.
OTAH, your 20 years old! Now is the time to go forth and seek new worlds; to boldly go where no other Riddle has gone before.

Now that I look at this, it’s no advice at all.

4

Keep the job, talk to the boss about flexible hours. Explain (in a non-treatening manner) that you want very much to keep the job. One of the things that you like about the job is working for the boss. One of the things that would help you remain in the job is some flexibility in scheduling. We bosses like good people and appreciate honesty. Your boss will help.

Talk to your stats prof about your exam. I teach stats to students very much like yourself (though, perhaps, less bright). We stats profs LIKE our students to come and talk with us. We want to help. We can help. We cannot help if you don’t talk to us. Plus, talking to us has a non-zero probability of increasing your grade becuase we have learned from talking to you that you care (at least a little) about your grade! Your stats prof will help.

There some clear-cut advice for you from someone who knows both sides of the coin.

Eissclam.

5

So that sugar daddy thing hasn’t worked out for you-ummm, I mean her- yet?

If you like the environment, I would do like cher3 said and see if there’s any chance for a lateral transfer first. IMHO, waitressing is not the way to go. You learn squat, you’re dependent on the generosity of others to get by, it’s very monotonous (try going through your “the sea bass is grilled to perfection and is served on a bed of basmati rice with avacado confit on the side” spiel for the 20th time that night) and isn’t very rewarding.

6

I personally would go for scholarships, school loans or whatever you can get, find a part-time job (though preferably something related to your future career interests), and try to finish school as soon as possible.

I sometimes see books advertised that talk about unusual school grants, e.g. “You can get a grant if you are the descendant of a french huguenot”.

Don’t get too hung up on which school you go to. I think a bachelor’s degree from a little-known school is better than two years of college classes from a school that you will have to quit because it’s too expensive.

7

Arnold, that is exactly what I wanted to hear. The problem is that I need moola for living expenses, not tuition.

My ultimate goal is to continue going to UVM, and matriculate. Then after a year of that, attempt to transfer to NYU, as their psych department rocks. And I miss New York.

Any suggestions on where to go to find these scholarships? (State student assistance?)

Damn, so much for the third person thing.

A little persistance goes a long way. Announcing:

“I go on guilt trips a couple of time a year. Mom books them for me.” A custom made Wally .sig!

8

Do you know what you want to do after graduating? It should certainly be non-boring as well, since the idea is to do it for a long time. If you know what that is, perhaps you can find a job in that area now. Not only will it bring you closer to your long-term career goals, but it could help you realize if those long-term goals are really right for you. Which could cause you to change your major early and avoid some waste and pain.

In an other vein, why is your current job distasteful? Is there some way to reapproach your job to make it more satisfying? I echo cher3’s point that if you have nice bosses, perhaps they can find you something more interesting in the company.

I think you really have your priorities in line when you say that school has to be #1. Be careful not to put yourself in a spot that jeopardizes that. Hang in there. Even if you have to take a lower-paying job and cut your lifestyle by a few notches, keep your eyes on the future. Being a poor college student will be great for story-telling later in life, believe me.

9

If you like your bosses, and not your job, it must be because your bosses make you feel better than your job does. Talk to them about it. Tell them what you would like to be able to do for them, rather than what you are doing now. Keep in mind that people don’t pay other people to do stuff that is fun. They charge them for that, and pay people to do the stuff that isn’t fun. But there can be a better fit between you and your tasks, if you ask for it, and your bosses realize that you might be able to provide better quality work for the buck doing more challenging, and less tedious work.

Waitressing is not a step up from anything. OK, it is a step up from busboy, or dishwasher, but that’s a hierarchy thing. Pecking order is very important in restaurants because nothing else is. Yuck. And the pay is generally lousy, and the rate of tips is proportional to the local cost of living, in your case, low.

**Tris

Imagine my signature begins five spaces to the right of center.

10

Have you thought about applying with a temp service?

Advantages:
[ul][li]Temp companies are seriously hurting for competent, capable employees. I heard on the news last week that one of the largest temp agencies in Boston has fallen to randomly calling people in the white pages to ask if they’d be interested in doing temp work. That means that someone reasonably intelligent, competent, and computer/software experienced (such as you) can get a lot of companies competing for them.[/li][li]Temp assignements are short, so by the time you start to get burned-out/frustrated with it, it’s usually almost time for the assignment to be over.[/li][li]Working various jobs means getting a lot of experience at a lot of little things. That can be a serious advantage when you start looking for job opportunities when you finish college- you may only know a little about the field, but that’s more than nothing; and besides, you’ve proven an ability to pick up new skills and learn on the fly.[/li][li]Various assignments, combined with the seller’s market, mean that you can be a good bit more flexible in choosing assignments with hours/pay rates/locations that better fit your needs.[/ul][/li]
Diadvantages:
[ul][li]It ain’t permanent. Every month or two you’ll switch assignments, meaning a new schedule to try and fit your life around.[/li][li]It’s hard to form long-lasting friendships with co-workers you only see for three or four weeks total.[/li][li]Just because it’s a seller’s market doesn’t mean you can get a job at the drop of a hat; you may well face periods of choosing between unemployment and serious inconvenience.[/li][li]You’re not going to get the pick of the job litter- no one’s going to call you up asking to sub as a psychiatrist or neurosurgeon for a few weeks. It’ll be mostly administrative stuff.[/li][li]No benefits, so you get to pay for insurance yourself.[/ul][/li]
Personally, I kind of like it for the ‘Superman’ factor. I come into a company which is reeling from turnover, mismanagement, or disorganization, and in two weeks manage to get things accomplished that the regular staff never thought they’d have the time or energy to do. I’m a hero and praised greatly for just doing my job. The pay ain’t great, but the ego boost is incredible.

JMCJ

“Y’know, I would invite y’all to go feltch a dead goat, but that would be abuse of a perfectly good dead goat and an insult to all those who engage in that practice for fun.” -weirddave, set to maximum flame

11

Lessee: what you really want is to finish school. The job is how you’re supporting yourself while doing that. The problem is, there aren’t enough hours in the day to study and work, and do respectably at both.

(You also don’t like your job, but you like your bosses, but that appears to be window dressing here - unless your bosses can find you a new position that involves fewer hours without reducing your pay too much.)

My thought: get a job which allows you to get some studying done while on the job. I’m thinking the sort of security-guard job that involves signing workers in and out of a building (as long as it’s not too busy), or something along those lines. The pay would be less than what you’re earning now, so you might have to take out a student loan to make up some of the difference. But your debt would be manageable, rather than enormous, when you finish - and you could probably take a full load of classes, which would hasten the day when you get your degree.

Don’t waitress (unless we’re talking cocktail waitressing, maybe), or take any other job that will leave you physically exhausted at the end of your shift. That will take far more time away from the books than the time actually spent working. Because your goal is to finish school, (a) relatively soon, and (b) in a manner you can be proud of.

Good luck!

12

Frankly, I don’t believe the sugar daddy option has been sufficiently explored.

(Did I type that out loud?)

13

Bricker, any bias expressed in this thread may be used against you as the allegedly impartial judge of the Bricker Three Minute Mysteries.

14

Just came from a scholarship site. The good news is that my father is a disabled Vietnam Vet, who now works for the federal government. The bad news is that there don’t appear to be too many scholarships for long-suffering Irish chicks from Vermont. Feh.

I temped for 2 years, John, and it was hell. Maybe it’s because I’m a young woman, so people automatically assume I am dumb, but I have never had to deal with such self-rightous attitutes in my life. Plus, the reason I want to get out of the job I am in now is because it is a boring office job.

For those who asked: I am going to school with the intention of being a psych major, and getting my PhD in Child Psychology. I have thought a LOT about working in a day care, which I know I would love. But the money just isn’t there. Maybe a nanny?

Thanks for the advice against waitressing. Those reasons are pretty much why I haven’t waitressed before. On purpose.

And Bricker, that option is ALWAYS open. :slight_smile:

Actually, I guess I should explain where the tuition scholarship is coming from. My godfather’s family emmigrated from China in the 40s. They were of the upper escelon before the revolution, and my godfather’s father started a fairly lucritive Chinese art and antique trade. After making a fair amount of money, he invested it. In real estate. In Manhatten. In the 40s. Needless to say, my godfather is a VERY wealthy man.

The scholarship is one his father started for Chinese medical students. I had assumed that when my godfather’s father died, the scholarship was liquidated. That is why I didn’t go to college immediately, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and had no way of paying for it.

While visiting my godfather in November, the subject came up, and he exclaimed “You DO know the scholarship is always there for you, don’t you?” I sat in shock for many minutes. Suddenly I could go to college, tuition, books and materials paid for. A miracle in every sense of the word.

I love my godfather more than anyone outside my immediate family. He means more to me than the 20 or so Aunts, Uncles and Cousins I have. My godfather also doesn’t have any children, and views my sisters and I as his.

There is a possibility I could get an additional grant from my godfather. But I feel like begging this man for money, whom I adore so much, and have gotten SO much from already is disrespectful.

The reason I was going to be in New York this weekend, which coincided nicely with the Dopefest, was to visit my godfather and feel out the waters on addition grant moneies. But that can’t happen because my rides cancelled.

So that’s the rest of my saga: there is a small chance I could get money from my godfather, but I don’t know if I want to ask.

Bemused and Confused in Burlington.

A little persistance goes a long way. Announcing:

“I go on guilt trips a couple of time a year. Mom books them for me.” A custom made Wally .sig!

15

I don’t have tons of advice for you, SR, but I can tell you what NOT to do. My foray into college sounds similiar to yours - I was able to pay for books/tuition/etc. but not much more. I was bound and determined not to go into debt (ie, take out student loans) to go to school, so I ended up working my way through school. I didn’t get great grades, but I was always doing very, very well at work.

Looking back, I think I would have ended up a lot happier and better off had I concentrated a lot less on work, and a lot more on school. I should have taken out student loans, and not worked. At the very least, I should have worked jobs that allowed me to study.

So my advice is do whatever you can to make sure you concentrate on school, NOT work. If that means taking out loans, do it. What looks like a lot of money to a college students ends up not being too hard to pay back once you’re working a real job.

16

Pretty much everything SwimmingRiddles has posted about herself gives the impression of an extremely bright, competent, responsible young woman far more mature in her approach to life than her chronological age would suggest.

That’s her problem.

For many people her age, the job she has now could be quite valuable in exposing her to what it means to go to work and be responsible to others for performing a set of tasks to at least a minimum acceptable level. Sounds like she’s already experienced that and that the job has little or nothing more to teach her.

College, on the other hand, has far more potential value to her over the course of her life. While it’s certainly possible to go back to school later in life once she “knows what she wants to do with her life” (my father graduated at 38), the fact of the matter is that she’s never going to have so few other responsibilities competing for her time and energy as she does now – no husband, no kids, no house to maintain, etc. Now, and for the next few years, it’s possible for her to devote herself exclusively (or nearly so) to getting an education.

Certainly, she sounds like she could continue to work and go to school at the same time, though with reduced effectiveness in both. But the job buys her nothing other than living expenses for the moment, while additional time and energy invested in her education now may well pay dividends for the rest of her life.

As distateful as the notion of debt is for many people (rightly so, for the most part), I put student loan debt and mortgage debt in a different category from debt incurred for the purpose of living above one’s means, in the same way that businesses account for capital investment in new equipment or infrastructure differently from operating expenses. If student loans are available to SR, she may want to reconsider her approach.

Also, while it would probably be poor form for SR to directly ask her godfather for a grant, it would be much less so to suggest a loan or series of loans, on terms similar to those typically accorded to guaranteed student loans, with a formal promissory note detailing terms of repayment. This would allow her godfather the satisfaction of knowing that he’d helped to further her education (along with the satisfaction of dealing with such a mature and responsible young person), while ultimately losing nothing and indeed making a modest return from the interest on the loan. SR should not discount the pleasure those of good heart and sufficient means take in assisting the young and promising, particularly when there is an attachment of long standing and the young person has demonstrated responsibility and initiative.

She also should, if she has not already, ask for a meeting with the financial aid office of her institution. While those at public institutions are less motivated to do so than those at private colleges and universities, it’s in the best interest of every institution to retain students who’ve demonstrated that they’re able to succeed in college, and financial aid officers can sometimes perform miracles, particularly when they’ve had the experience of sitting across a desk from a student and seeing firsthand the student’s drive and ability to succeed (I speak from personal experience on this topic).

And since I’m dispensing gratuitous advice, I’ll add that what SR plans to do with her education should be of little or no concern to her as an undergraduate. If she achieves a sound education, learning to assimilate information quickly and effectively, synthesize what she’s learned into new insights, and communicate the results to others orally and in writing, she will have accomplished everything that can be asked from an undergraduate education. Those skills will be required of her when she’s at the end of her career and any specialized or technical gleaned now will have been obsolete for an age or more.

“Ain’t no man can avoid being born average, but there ain’t no man got to be common.” –Satchel Paige

17

Riddles! You have every advantage in the world right now, and you’re letting your silly pride or some such hold you back. You have a scholarship as a full-time student, use it! Currently, taking 9 hrs is not defined as going to college, you’re a full-time employee taking night classes! It simply isn’t going to work.

College Loans are not a bad thing at all! They are a very generous offer the government has provided to prevent students from having to do what your doing. The interest rates a lower than your typical returns on a government bond, and much less than the rates you could return in a mutual fund.

Now, debt is bad when your talking about piling up credit card bills at 20% APR, but a 4% loan is a gift. Use it, I for one am quite pleased with the efforts of the current administration in allowing me to be a full-time student. Being a part-time student is just not a reasonable way to learn. I can’t stress that enough.

Now, about your job, its clear you aren’t happy there, and it is a detriment to the school work and even if it were the best job in teh world, it isn’t worth doing. If you are determined to not take advantage of any of your resources and do things the hard way, then I would apporach the bosses and try and get a pound of flesh from them before moving on. If they value you, they might offer to give you more flexible hours, or allow you days off when you have school demands, and possibly give you a small raise to make up for the fewer hours. Waitressing is a horrible job, and is a hell of alot more demanding than a paper pushing job.

My reccomendation is this: Approach your godfather, and inquire about getting more money from the scholarship. To argue the idea that you’d be greedy, thats bullshit. First, taking only 9 hrs is going to put you on pace to graduate in 5 and a half years! Do the math, I promise you that in the long run, that extra scholarship money up front would save you on tuition for those last 2 unnecessary years of school. Second, the man is very wealthy, and generous, I’m sure he would be very unhappy to learn that the college he’s funding you for is not being taken full advantage of for lack of funds. You really need to pocket that blind pride and ask. Explain to him, that you feel uncomfortable asking for more money for the reasons you’ve mentioned, but explain how it would help provide you a richer college experience. Most scholarships I’m aware of don’t strictly require you to spend it on solely books and tuition, and many are lump sums that you spend as you see fit, be it for room and board, or tutoring or tuition. The point I’m making is the fact that your weathly godfather has set up a scholarship, and he offered it to you, lead me to believe that the only consideration is your success in college. As it appears that isn’t happening.

So, I’d step down from such a demanding job. Maybe get a waitressing job for two nights a week to make a few bucks, working nightclubs or bars can be alot of fun. Make up the other expences with either a increased college grant, or if that isn’t going to work out, take out loans. In your successful future those loans are easy to pay off, and you could always contribute down the road to your godfathers scholarship fund. That would give you the personal satisfaction you crave.

18

SR, why not approach the school admins too, and ask about doing some tutoring work in computer?? I know schools operate differently, but where my son goes the professors have students that work for them, they get paid, and have time to study too, is there a school newspaper that you could put an ad in for ‘Help, Work Needed’?

Just a thought,

Judy

“Muck should replace ‘suck’. For ‘muck’ is yucky, while ‘suck’ feels very lucky. So, don’t stay stuck on suck, switch to MUCK, today.”

19

Quit your job, drop out of school for a while and travel the world with me. I looked at your webpage and there is a good chance we would get along. Your problems will still be there when you get back but you will be better able to put them in perspective. Plus, you will have some great stories to tell. BTW I know a lot about Eastern religions.

20

So I told my parents I was thinking about quitting, and they were not negative. Thank you guys so much for all your advice.

I think everyone is basically telling me the same thing, which is to grow some cajones and do the scarey, but ultimately inevitable thing.

I’m going to visit my godfather in May, I’ll breech the subject then. I’m also going to call my school’s financial aid office tomarrow and see what they can do for me. I don’t live with my parents, and haven’t for a year and a half, so I should get a lot of aid. Thank you all for telling me what I knew to be true.

Um…thanks David, but until I see some sugar daddy credentials, I’ll have to be a little wary. (ps: there’s a billion people in China who know about Eastern philosophy, too…)

A little persistance goes a long way. Announcing:

“I go on guilt trips a couple of time a year. Mom books them for me.” A custom made Wally .sig!