Conversation 37

Listen to a conversation between a university student and an adviser in the university’s work-study program.

A: Hi, how can I help you today?

S: I’d like to get a work-study job, so I can start paying off my student loan.

A: Wonderful! How much time do you have each week to work?

S: Um, I’m not sure. Maybe 10 to 20 hours…

A: Twenty hours? That’s a lot, young lady. What class are you? And how many credits are you taking this term?

S: I’m a freshman, and I’ve got 15 credits.

A: In that case, I’d advise you to take baby steps while you get used to university life. Fifteen credits is a pretty full load. You’ve got to learn how to balance your study, work and leisure time. It’s not easy.

S: Well, I, uh, I need money pretty badly. My parents are retired, so it was tough to find a bank that would loan us money. I don’t mind working hard.

A: [chuckles] I’m sure you don’t. But it’s just as important to work smart. If you don’t allow enough time to study, your grades are going to suffer. And if you don’t allow enough time for social life, you’re going to be pretty unhappy. Plus, you’ve gotta leave some time just for you – to relax, have a date, work out, or, uh, whatever. As they say, “All work and no play makes Jill a dull girl!”

S: Yeah, that makes sense. OK. So…what do you recommend? Is there a job I can do?

A: Oh, we’ve got plenty of jobs that need doing. The trick is to find just the right one for you. Now, I would suggest something that’s about six hours a week to start with. That’s, say, two hours a night, three nights a week. The other thing I recommend is to get something that gives you time to study while you’re working. That way you can kill two birds with one stone. Sound OK?

S: Yeah, that sounds great. Like, what kind of job lets me study while I work?

A: How about something in the library? Usually it’s just assisting students with finding something. That only takes a couple of minutes. In between students, you can study. And it’s a quiet environment.

S: OK. How much does it pay?

A: It pays $20 an hour, but half of that goes toward your loan. That’s what this program is all about – helping you start to pay off your debt. So if you work six hours a week, you’ll pocket $60, minus taxes. It won’t make you rich, but it does give you some weekend cash.

S: All right. Um, the library sounds fine, but could check out some other jobs before I decide?