I transferred from the shop where I worked at home, so I was very lucky to have a job as soon as I moved to Newcastle. That said, for many students, the stress of part-time work begins before they’re even employed; many readers will relate to the struggle of actually finding work that fits their availability and preferred number of hours.
While some businesses will accept paper CVs for cash-in-hand employment, if people want to work for a chain (where they might benefit from contracted hours and above-minimum wage) they often turn to Indeed or similar sites, where competition is fierce from other students. Notoriously, many applicants never hear back from jobs they apply to on Indeed and similar sites.
Students may also be more concerned with which part-time job they choose. One psychology student has applied to work as a hospital receptionist, which is inevitably higher-stress than a typical position, but she is concerned about her CV, and getting an edge when she graduates. Many students worry that part-time work won’t help them develop their professional skills to the same extent that an internship or work experience week would give them, and giving up their weekends just doesn’t seem worth it.
There is, of course, time management to consider; if students are in classes Monday-Friday, then working Saturday and Sunday, they end up choosing between socialising and academics. This is why it’s so important to recognise your availability and challenge when that line is crossed. You might be able to manage a shift after uni one day, and a longer one at the weekend, and still make time to do your reading, and assignments, and see friends. Other students might be able to manage more or less, but if work starts demanding too much of your time, it’s okay to say no.
If an employer starts to take advantage of a young person for whatever reason, it can create a stressful, hostile environment - and this isn’t a job students should stay in. But it isn’t always that simple. The truth is, for many students, SFE doesn’t take a nuanced enough look at their families’ financial situations. Some students may receive the minimum maintenance loan, but not actually have parents who can or will support them financially. In this respect, other student finance systems, such as Wales’ (where all students receive the same sum, but are responsible for paying back different amounts), seem fairer. Some students are financially disadvantaged by the loan itself, and forced to take on the stress of working alongside studying.
For many, there will be stress that comes with a part-time job, and stress that comes without one. The issue is much more complex than just time management for students. Ultimately, the decision of whether to work or not is deeply personal and multifaceted. For me, my part-time barista job slots neatly in on a weekend and means I’m able to treat myself instead of living frugally - but not everyone is in the same position, and balancing a part-time job carries more stress for some than it does for others.