<p>I got offered a great position as a BUILD literacy mentor to at-risk kids in Oakland 2 days/week. I was excited about it until I learned that the mandatory orientation day is the same day I <em>really</em> want to go to LA with the rest of my club for the state convention. I know I should choose the job, but I’m having a lot of fun in the club and it’s also very important to me…ugh. Should I wait on work until after my first (transfer) semester or would I be an idiot for turning it down? I’m in a pickle here, people, help!</p>
<p>do you really need the money from the job or is it for spending money and convenience? If the latter, then perhaps the club activity and college experience is a higher priority than being able to buy a few more things or visit restaurants more often therefore don’t work this semester. If you really need the money to help cover costs, your only choice seems to be that job and no club trip or find a different job that coexists with club.</p>
<p>Do your club thing. </p>
<p>Networking with peers who might do something with their lives that you can capitalize on in the future (maybe even landing you a job? vs. “Connecting” with at-risk kids two days a week for a semester and then never seeing or hearing from said kids ever again? </p>
<p>Idk.</p>
<p>But still, I’m just curious, why would you take that job position? At-risk kids need a lot more than 2 days per week to build relationships with a mentor… Unless you’re just going for the pay, which is fine. But unless the pay is more than decent, I’d do the club thing. Enjoy college!! (If it’s within your means, that is. Which it sounds like it is if you’re giving yourself the <em>option</em> between pay and play.)</p>
<p>Yeah, thanks guys. I do need the money but I think for the sake of smart time management and academics I might just take the low road and convert some of my work study into loans at least for my first semester because in the long run I’m probably not going to feel the difference when it comes time to pay back everything. </p>
<p>And as for the experience of connecting with the kids, I am a Miller Scholar with a large stipend for a community server project next summer in which I plan to start a creative writing program for kids in group homes and I thought this work experience would be good preparation for running my own program, but I can always come back to it in the spring I guess. Is it bad form to turn down the job offer and reapply next semester? Seems rude but idk.</p>
<p>Are you dreading the overall work @ the at-risk kids center or is it just a matter of time conflict (this particular instance, not in general)? Maybe you can discuss it with the people there and see if there’s an alternative solution. I’m assuming this is something you are passionate about and would like to do IF there wasn’t this one-time overlap between events.</p>