I transferred from where I worked at home and 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, as many readers will relate to the struggle of actually finding work.
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.
Another issue students might face is worrying about which part-time job they choose. I know a psychology student who has applied to work in a hospital, which is inevitably higher-stress than a shop, 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, your time to consider; if you’re at uni Monday-Friday, and working Saturday and Sunday, you 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 your employer starts to take advantage of you being a student who "needs the work", it can create a stressful, hostile environment - and this isn’t a job you’d want to 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 people may receive minimum student loans but not actually have parents who can or will support them financially. Other student finance systems, such as Wales’ (where all students receive the same sum, but are responsible for paying back different amounts), seem fairer in this respect.
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 timing for these 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 for some students, a part-time job carries more stress than it does for others.
