For Abbey Homminga ’21, getting a parking spot in the J lot every day is no problem. 

Homminga gets to school every day by 6:45 a.m. to start work at Hydrangea Kitchen. Her full schedule doesn’t stop when she gets off work, or even after a rigorous day of classes. It’s only after cross country practice that she gets her first break. And even then, there is still homework to be done. 

“I don’t know how I do it all,” Homminga said. “It all sort of plays out and balances out.”

Since March of last year, Homminga has worked every morning for an hour to an hour and a half at Hydrangea 

“(My boss) reached out to me and said she needed help so I thought it could be fun,” Homminga said. “I started doing it and she offered me the job and it kind of just went off from there.”

Many student jobs, like lifeguarding and nannying, end with the start of school. Homminga, who also works a babysitting job during the summer, said balancing work during the school year can be quite a challenge compared to working during break. 

“I definitely have less time to do stuff in the mornings (during the school year). I have to get up a lot earlier,” Homminga said. “But then in the summer, I have a lot more time to do my own thing and hang out with friends and still have extra time.”

Homminga said she would definitely recommend students try working during the school year. 

“It’s good to have extra cash and do your own thing,” Homminga said. “But definitely if you are struggling academically or have sports that take up a lot of commitment you have to bring it up with your future employer.”

For Homminga, the hardest part about working is figuring out how to fit all of her commitments together. 

“My biggest piece of advice is to find a balance with everything so that you still have your own time to relax,” Homminga said. “Having school alone is a lot so when you add work on top of that it’s crazy.”