For a lot of students at UO, college isn’t simply about getting the “college experience.” Student workers — young adults who are full-time students and maintain a part or full-time job — are actively working during the school year to pay their way through college. Work adds a lot to their plates. Students are already balancing so much between their social lives and academics that it’s hard to imagine having time for anything else. Throwing a job into the mix can leave students overworked or mentally drained — and without time to keep up with their mental health.
Tony Van Spaendonk is a second year at UO who works at Cafe Yumm. They’ve been working there since May and, although having gripes with the place, they like their coworkers and work environment.
“Sometimes I work 12 hours a week, and sometimes I work like 22,” Van Spaendonk said. “I feel like 15 is the golden number. It’s just enough to where I’m not too busy, but I’m also making money.”
They prefer working in the afternoon Monday through Wednesday, allowing them to do school in the morning and work in the evening. “Usually I work all day Saturday and Sunday — which I don’t like because then I don’t get any days off from school or from work,” Van Spaendonk said. “I definitely feel like I’m always on.”
Van Spaendonk is paying for part of their tuition, as well as their housing and living expenses, as they work throughout the year. They explained the key to keeping their work and school lives balanced is getting enough sleep at night, which means around 8 or 9 hours. Van Spaendonk is usually more concerned with school and work, but wishes they had more time to focus on their mental wellness.
“My mental health kind of goes on the backburner. To destress, I basically do nothing. I just need that time to recharge. I’ll literally just stare at the ceiling,” they said, laughing.
Van Spaendonk enjoys going to shows and concerts, but sometimes doesn’t have the time because of work. “Sometimes it can be frustrating when I have an assignment that’s due at midnight and I get off work at 8,” Van Spaendonk said. “I don’t have time to do anything else.”
They said, “Lowering tuition and free housing would be great ways to help out student workers,” adding, “Please pay students more. That’s my general take.” This suggestion seems like the opposite of what’s happening at UO recently, with the addition of Unthank Hall and the removal of some of UO’s more affordable dorms.
UO second year Jessica Tietz agrees the university could do more to help out student workers.
“I feel like offering more online classes helps,” she said. “Last year, in asynchronous classes, I would just do my work when I had the opportunity and time to do it. I love being in person, but it’s harder to get my work done.”
She also thinks it would be helpful if professors recorded lectures or were more transparent about putting their powerpoints online. Tietz said, “Sometimes I miss class working overtime, and then I can’t access the lecture anywhere.”
Tietz works 40 hours a week at Home Depot, Monday through Thursday, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. “I sleep in between classes, or Tuesdays and Thursdays I’m done at 10 a.m. so I just sleep after class.” She works as a merchandiser, restocking shelves and doing general cleaning around the store. Tietz said she gets bored on her 10-hour shifts and, because Home Depot is currently understaffed, it’s hard to cut her shifts down.
“I kind of set myself up for failure sometimes,” Tietz said. “I overwork myself and push myself to get stuff done, but my issue with work is that I’m very tired throughout the day.” She recognizes school comes first for her, but also has to work. So planning her school and work schedule can be overwhelming. “Just trying to make sure I don’t sleep through my classes has been an issue too,” Tietz said. “I wake up, and I’m so tired.”
Although work can be hard, Tietz feels supported through her friends and sorority sisters in Delta Zeta. “I have a group chat called ‘Jessica’s babysitters,’ and that’s where people remind me to stop overworking myself,” she said. When Tietz comes home, her sisters remind her to sleep and rest, and also make sure that she’s included in the sorority’s weekend activities.
“If I overwork myself, I don’t have time to think about my mental health,” Tietz said. “I do think work takes a toll. I’m always mentally exhausted; I have a hard time saying no to things, but as long as I have people around me to help me it doesn’t get too bad.”
UO students already have a lot to think about, and that’s without a 40-hour workweek. While the university does offer a lot of mental health resources, it’s important to take the needs of all students into account. Twenty-five percent of college kids also hold a job, which is one in every four students. These young adults are a niche that should be taken into account. Things like affordable tuition and flexible class times would decrease the stress of working students, and make college more accessible to everyone.
