Uni is not all fun, games and politics. There are sacrifices......and most of them revolve around money. Like attempting to pack your own lunches instead of buying from the cafeteria. Or walking from Central Station to campus instead of catching a 90 cent bus trip. Or downloading music for free off the net (hold on a second, I think people who work full time do this anyway!)
My biggest sacrifice throughout uni was my blessed Sundays, which all changed as of last week.
Sunday is by far the best day of the week for me (only marginally better than Saturday). Saturday is my lazy day where I catch up on all the lost hours of sleep from throughout the week. But Sunday possibilities are endless. There are the Sunday morning sleep ins after a big night out, Sunday tabloid papers, Sunday breakfast, Sunday sport watching, Sunday sport playing and just plain old Sunday-do–everything-you-can-as-tomorrow-is-uni-again.
Unfortunately, Sunday is also double pay. As a cheap uni student, that appealed to me more than anything from the above list.
For the past year I have without fail worked every Sunday from 7:30am as a personal care assistant (unless I was out of Sydney.) Yes, you heard right, 7:30 am. Ouch. I sacrificed the winter season of touch footy. I sacrificed my late drunken Saturday nights (or rather early Sunday mornings). I sacrificed my leisurely breakfast hour. I sacrificed the opportunities such as bush walking, socialising, and most importantly sleeping.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my job of showering little vulnerable old ladies (I know that thought is just grossing many of you right about now, so think happy thoughts- think of butterflies flying through a bed of roses!) But not at 7:30 on a Sunday morning.
And I gained money. Enough to allow me to enjoy my uni days as I please, and still have enough to disappear to the Northern Territory next week.
But the time came when I realised next year I will be a full time worker in the real world and earning lots more $$$. Money is replaceable. Sundays while I am still relatively young are not. My plan is to spend as I like, enjoy myself, and replace the bank account next year.
So guess what I did on my first Sunday off??
I left my house at 7am to volunteer as a physio for a sports game in Homebush!!! What a nerd!
For those of you who happen to be looking for a job, check out the casual employment service for a whole variety of jobs aimed at uni students. http://www.usyd.edu.au/stuserv/casual_employment_service/