When I first came to Oswego I was so unsure of how life would be, so many changes were happening. One of my main concerns was money, I have always worked for the money I had but when I was a freshman all I thought was, what do I do now? Luckily, Oswego has so many opportunities for college students to make a little money for those essential expenses.
If you are like me and don’t have a car here at school, you’ll probably benefit from the on-campus opportunities. SUNY Oswego offers many part-time jobs on campus to us students, even for though who don’t have work-study. You can find a job in Auxiliary Services, Campus Recreation, Resident Life and Housing, and more! Auxiliary Services offers positions to work in dining halls or cafes right here on campus. Campus Recreation positions are those at the school gym, the pool, and for Intramural sports. The Resident Life and Housing offers jobs right in the dorms, it doesn’t get more convenient than that! Most of the jobs pays you minimum wage and you will get a check that you can pick up in Culkin Hall every other week. The best part is that they work with your class schedule to accommodate you without getting in the way of your school obligations!
If you do have a car, you’re lucky. There are many off campus job opportunities, and they are so close to campus. Dunkin Donuts is always looking for employees, and it’s less than a mile away from campus. Pizza Hut is right next to Dunkin, Fajita Grill (it’s like a Chipotle, but different), Kinneys Drugs (our local pharmacy), and so many more shops downtown (only 1 mile away from campus). It doesn’t hurt to apply to a few jobs, that way you increase your opportunity and further guarantee your odds to be hired!
Now that you know about the different places you can look for a job, how do you maintain your money? Save, save, save! Make a “Rainy Day” savings account or even a piggy bank. The best advice I can give you is to set aside a small portion of your check each pay period. Even if it’s just 5/10 dollars, it’ll build up and one day you’ll end up with more than you expected. This easy tactic saves lives. Also, budget yourself! You know you get the same amount of money an hour, calculate how much you would get each check and make a budget. Let’s say my check is $100, I would map out how much I can spend on food, how much on toiletries, etc. If you are mindful with your money and expenses, you won’t have to be so worried about money in college! You learn with time, once you get into a routine it’ll be mindless!