For working students, the holidays aren’t so jolly

During the school year, most students work part-time jobs while attending classes full-time or vice versa, but the busy holiday season often leads to sacrifices in work or school.

“Sacrifices have to be made where school will suffer for work or work for school. Usually both will happen as I teeter on the balance,” said Justin Chen, 24, a De Anza College film production major who works at Target.

Many students provide their employers with their regular school schedule in the beginning of the quarter, not providing scheduled time for finals work, making it difficult to find time during the busy holiday retail rush to complete assignments and study.

“They expect you to bend over backwards as if your only responsibility is work,” said Chen. “They forget or ignore you have school” when requesting time off or adjusting schedules.
Chen often has to miss class for work because of financial pressures.

“I have to pay rent since I do not live at home,” Chen said. “The pressure makes me spend more of my energy at work when I wish it didn’t.” “I’ve made it known that school always comes first with my managers, and they have always respected that,” said Matt Dempler, 22, business major, currently working at Costco.

It is not always financially possible for a student to sacrifice their work hours for school work. With bills and holiday gifts to keep in mind, assignments fall on the back burner.

“My hours usually double to near full-time if not complete full-time,” Dempler said.

He said there are more full-time opportunities, but he is unable to take them because at the same time class workloads increase.

Joseph Covey, 19, film major, said he wishes he could tell his managers at Starbucks that he needs time off.

“I have to make car and auto-insurance payments,” Covey said. “I can’t afford that luxury as a part-time employee.”