In college, there are countless opportunities that can help prepare students for the future. Perhaps one the most beneficial of these would be having a part time job on top of taking classes. The benefits that come along with holding down a job provide both short-term and long-term positive effects.

First, as many students would probably agree, the most satisfying part that comes along with being employed is the paycheck. Getting a paycheck at least every other week will provide a source of passive income that can be used in a variety of ways, such as purchasing groceries, social purposes or just saving it.

While the first two options mentioned are focused toward the present day, the latter of the three deals with the future. Preparing financially for the future is something that everyone should put an emphasis on contributing to whenever they can. Putting a certain percentage of one’s paycheck in a savings account would be a big help to that cause. Saving money when there is none to save, can be quite difficult.

Another essential benefit found working while in school is the development of time management skills. As most know, once an individual graduates from college, they are likely thrown into the real world where they will be faced with juggling a number of responsibilities. Holding down a job while taking classes and perhaps being involved in student clubs definitely adds to the list of responsibilities. By doing so, people now have to be more proactive in prioritizing how they spend their time. While balancing all this may sound like a bit of an obstacle at first, establishing a solid routine is the key to it all.

In fact, it has been shown that students who work a job while in school actually tend to have better grades. According to information from a study in a insidehighered.com article, “Students who work 20 hours or more, on campus or off, did tend to be more engaged than students who did not work at all.” The article then mentions that this is likely due to these particular students having developed exceptional time management skills. On top of that, working as a student will also bring about more experience in the work field, which can be very helpful when applying for jobs.

Overall, there are undoubtedly some important benefits that come along with working while attending school. These benefits will not just be useful in the present day, but also in preparing for a healthy financial future.

To read more about the importance of having a job in college, check out this moneycrashers.com article that focuses not only on the benefits of having a job, but also the best jobs for college students.

If you’re looking for some helpful information and tips on good time management, check out this article on lifehack.org to learn more.

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