Caffeine & Commitment

Hey everyone! The last time I wrote, I shared a guest post from my friend Hannah. I was in the middle of research and working as a Peer Advisor. Now, we’re almost halfway through September, midterms are around the corner, sorority recruitment is in full swing… As I seem to say every post, time is absolutely flying by.

For this first post as a junior, I had so many topics to cover—the rest of the summer, clubs, recruitment, future plans falling apart and coming together, the introductory geology class I’m taking that’s unexpectedly fascinating—but I wanted to write about something new: a part-time job!

Before this semester, I had never balanced full-time academics and part-time work. Last year, though, I started doing most of my work in the coffee shop inside of Swem, officially known as Aromas Abridged but informally and affectionately known as Swemromas. This space hits a trifecta of delicious food, solid music, and friendly employees; it just has the best vibes. I spent so much time this past spring there that employees started to joke that I should just jump behind the counter. Earlier this semester, that joke became real: I interviewed and got the job, and this week was my first working.

At the risk of sounding like a Pollyanna, it’s been fun (so far!). I mean, college students love coffee, and I’m the gatekeeper to that lovely, buzzing, celestial kingdom of caffeine and happiness. More practically, I like the structure and method of a job, especially one as social and upbeat as working at Swemromas. Also, when I’m on the job, I can’t worry about academic work I have waiting for me, and when I’m off the job, I work more efficiently. Maybe you’re the same way: the more you have to do, the more you get done.

On a related note, I bounced around a lot during freshman and sophomore years, changing majors and campus involvements. As a junior, though, I feel like it’s time to choose quality, not quantity. I’ve found tons of activities that are worthwhile in some way for some time, and I’ve also been lucky to find a few activities that are worth commitment, that I’m excited to continue for the next two years. This new job is one of those involvements. Check out my updated author page on this site to see the rest of the list! (Also, my majors have changed; Government shifted to History and English snuck into the plan, which is worth a post in itself.)

Anyways, as I transition from being just a student to being a student and an (increasingly competent, I’d like to think) employee, I am starting to realize just how many of my friends and other students are in the same boat. All William & Mary students are hardworking and involved around campus, but I am especially interested in the part-time job as a factor in the undergraduate student experience here.

These student blogs are seriously a great way to read firsthand about life on campus. For some undergrads, that life includes a job. I think it’s important to represent that part of campus, as well as the academic intensity, drive, involvement, and everything else that helps shape campus culture. So this semester, I really want to start sharing the stories of other students who pull the weight of academics and a job or two. I haven’t decided if I’ll be writing about that here or through The Flat Hat or another outlet entirely, so stay tuned.

In my next post this September, I’ll write more about my routine, whatever that ends up being, and more about the not-so-everyday parts of junior year. Again, it’s amazing how fast the time has gone, and I’m excited to see what the next two weeks have in store. Till next time!