I started looking for part-time jobs in Eugene before I even set foot on campus.

I was worried about the financial strain students often face that causes unnecessary stress in the transition to university life.

Luckily, I was in just the right place at the right time and got my first on-campus job in the spring term of my freshman year.

Thankfully, when I started the job, I was living on campus and didn’t have to pay for rent or groceries. But if I had, there was no feasible way for me to support myself.

On-campus jobs often don’t support students enough financially, and many students take on multiple jobs to pay for their necessities on top of classes.

Sophomore Shamica Tendolkar has two on-campus jobs and said the pressure of paying for rent, groceries and necessities while also funding a social life would be incredibly difficult with only one income.

“I would say about 70% (of both on-campus incomes) go toward paying my rent… but if I didn’t have (both of) my jobs, the financial (aspect) would be hard,” Tendolkar said.

The demanding schedule that comes with any on-campus job, especially those in the dining halls and programs like Basic Needs and housing, is also difficult to balance.

One of the primary benefits of working an on-campus job is the prioritization of class schedules before work.

Tendolkar is often on campus 12-14 hours a day between classes, work and extracurriculars. Without the support of her bosses altering her work schedule around her academic schedule, working more than one job may not have been practical.

“I have other friends who kind of say the opposite (about support from their bosses)… especially in places like the dining halls… where it’s mandatory to be there and there’s greater consequences (for absences).”

Junior Hannah Baniani, a student worker in the Lundquist College of Business, said finding a community of other students was a main priority during her job search, and is the reason why she sought out an on-campus position.

“I wanted the network that having an on-campus job gives me,” Baniani said. “I wanted the assurance that I would also be working with other UO students, so I could build more of a community on campus.”

Many students are looking for this aspect of community in their workplace, which is why so many people gravitate toward on-campus jobs, despite these positions being highly sought after and very difficult to obtain.

Baniani said it took her over a year to even get an interview for an on-campus position.

“I have been on-and-off applying for specifically on-campus jobs since I was a winter-term freshman, and it took me until I was a spring-term sophomore to land an interview,” Baniani said.

While on-campus jobs seem to be the best option for students, the stress that comes with applying and interviewing for them, while not knowing if a $16.00/hour salary capped at 25 hours a week will be enough to cover monthly expenses, can be difficult to deal with.

Obtaining an on-campus position is often the priority for students looking to work their way through their studies. But the reality is that on-campus jobs have the potential to be just as or more stressful as off-campus positions.

The only true benefits of on-campus jobs are convenience and the community.