Several students at South balance a part time job and a heavy workload on their own and once the holidays come around, these students become even more occupied.

Selga Jansons ’23 works part time at Plato’s Closet on Greater Mack Avenue. Jansons worked retail last year during the holidays and will continue to this year.

“The main difference between working during the holidays is we get a lot more customers, so there’s a lot more to do,” Jansons said.

Committing to a job, especially as a student, can be tough during the school year. Jansons gives some advice students should take into consideration before applying for a job.

“Make sure you can maintain a good work/school balance before committing to a job, otherwise it can be very stressful,” Jansons said. “The nice thing about having a job is that it gives you a lot more financial independence which can be really grea, and teaches you a lot more responsibility.”

Elle Bojarczyk ’22 works part time at the store Village Palm located on Kercheval avenue. This will be Bojarczyk’s first time working retail in her career.

“Working during the holiday season can be pretty stressful as the hours are longer,” Bojarczyk said. “There’s a lot more to get done around the store.”

Bojarczyk makes sure to balance her school work and working an active job to be able to keep up her academic grades.

“My advice would be to plan ahead with your workload to make sure you have time to do all of your work on time,” Bojarczyk said.

Although working can be tough for some students, other students find a balance in time to earn money and have extra free time. This is the case for Alexandra Lefief ’22, who works part time at the women’s boutique Savvy Chic located on Kercheval Avenue.

“I find that with the right balance of both school and work, I am able to get everything done and have extra free time left over,” Lefief said.

Lefief has a positive outlook on her job but makes sure to put school first. Although the holidays are a busy time in the retail industry, Lefief excels in her time management.

“I love my job,” Lefief said. “My coworkers and bosses are super nice and I love giving fashion advice to customers. I even like doing all of the tagging and steaming of clothes, it’s a very fun job.”

Lefief provided some important advice to students who may be considering earning some money during the school year.

“Definitely find that balance,” Lefief said. “Don’t overwork yourself, and make sure that you always put your best foot forward. School should come first, work second. Finally, work someplace that you enjoy and focus your work around your strengths. If you don’t like your job, then $12 an hour is not worth it.”