College Tips for Parents

By Shannon Bennett
Shannon is currently a college student.  Her helpful article discusses the pluses of joining an organization, as well as the advantages of getting a part time job.

First year students don't have free time in excess, but enough of it exists to create some empty spaces. The question that arises early on is how to use the free time they're given. Generally, it comes down to two very different choices: Join an organization or get a part-time job.

The obvious perk to choosing the job is income, but a student also wishes to connect with peers in what can be the very lonely first year. So, which choice will benefit your student the most? Take a look at the high points of either choice to help you decide which venture to encourage your student to lean toward.

Joining an Organization -

Any college campus is likely to be littered with specified options for your student to explore. Be it sports teams, discussion groups, or even community service movements, college provides a rich setting for exploring interests and moving forward toward self-discovery.

Organization Pros:

- Joining an organization almost guarantees the ability to meet like-minded individuals and form friendships. Finding people to connect with in the first year is a challenge that many struggle with, and forging a group of friends can help the "First Year Blues" tremendously.

- Coming into a group at the beginning of a four-year college run provides the opportunity for quick advancement, and perhaps eventual leadership in the coming years. Not only will this provide your student with something to work for, but it will also give him the ability to leave his mark on the campus.

- Most campus organizations do volunteer work, which not only provides your student with the required hours, but may teach her the value of community service for a cause she believes in.

Getting a Part-Time Job -

Obviously for any student in need of extra monetary help, getting a job is the sensible choice. However, even though a retail or restaurant job may not be something the student is excited about or feels is related to his or her professional future, much can be gained from joining the work force during college.

Job Pros:

- Like an organization, a job will also provide friends for a student. Daily interactions with people who share the same obligations forges friendships, regardless of how dissimilar personalities and beliefs are. Your student may be surprised at the diverse interactions and friendships she makes. In fact, she may open up to more personalities and dispositions as a result.

- Starting from the bottom of a career-ladder, in a place where your student believes he is over-qualified to be can be a sobering and realistic lesson, preparing him for what he should expect when entering his own industry.
- If the job sticks through college, and your student advances to a higher position, he has gained the professional savvy perhaps to do so quickly after graduation.

- Earning her own spending money will make your student more aware of the value of a dollar, and when it is frugal to spend it.


The choice will inevitably come down to catering the specific personality of your student and his or her needs. However, taking a look at the possible benefits for the near and distant future can make the decision easier.