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University students are always burdened with financial concerns. During their university life, apart from living expenses, they find themselves needing money for school events, shopping, and food, making their spending options relatively diverse compared to their teenage years. As a result, many students start earning their own money or covering their living expenses through part-time jobs. Currently, short-form videos featuring part-time jobs have gained significant popularity and empathy among university students. It shows how many students in South Korea support their living expenses through part-time works. In this Campus Talk, we aim to explore the types of part-time jobs Gachon University students are engaged in outside of campus and where they primarily spend their earnings.
Ha-ryeong Jeon (Department of Oriental Language and Literature, ‘23)
I work at a takeout specialty cafe, and our americano is priced at 1500 won, making it popular among customers. One of the advantages is the employee discount, and initially, I had difficulty with memorizing the menu as a part-time worker. I mostly save the money I earn.
Yang Seo-jin Yang (Department of Oriental Language and Literature, ‘23)
My first part-time job was working at the sandwich shop, Subway. Making sandwiches according to customer requests requires good short-term memory. Initially, it was hard for me to memorize the recipes, and the complex system made it challenging to explain in detail to customers that are unfamiliar with the brand. One significant advantage is that we can create custom-made sandwiches. Currently, I work at a craft beer shop. It stands out for offering a wide variety of beers and serving them in different types of glasses. The overall work is relatively easy, but it's disappointing that there are no staff meal benefits. I mostly spend my earnings on food expenses and also try to save some money.
Jung-hyun Lee (Department of Oriental Language and Literature, ‘23)
My first part-time job was at a jokbal (pig's trotters) restaurant. It was a busy establishment, and I worked for a long time without realizing that I was receiving a relatively low hourly wage, which made the experience quite challenging. The tasks were like those at a meat restaurant, and the main customers were middle-aged men. There were more deliveries and takeout orders than I expected. One advantage was that the owner always took good care of providing delicious meals. I primarily spend my earnings on meals and shopping.
Da-bin Park (Department of Early Childhood Education, ‘23)
My first part-time job was at on-the-spot tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) restaurant, where I worked as a server and dishwasher. These days, I am doing serve work at a Tantanmen Workshop restaurant. I usually switch my workplace every six months. Both places are small establishments with not many customers, and the hourly wage is higher than the minimum wage, so I feel financially satisfied. I mainly use my earnings for shopping or pocket money, and the remaining money goes into savings.
Ji-hyeon Kim (Department of Social Welfare, ‘23)
I started my part-time job at EDIYA Cafe. One of the advantages of being an employee there was that we were provided with one free drink per day, so I could enjoy beverages while working. As I was still in my early twenties, I used the earnings mostly for social gatherings and travel expenses.
Se-mi Lee (Department of Media Communication, ‘23)
I am currently interning as an operation and ticketing at High1 Water World. I work five days a week, and my primary responsibilities involve operating and managing the Water World, which is one of the businesses of High1 Resort. The internship offers flexible schedule adjustments and provides good staff benefits, including meal allowances. Dealing with customers requires excellent problem-solving skills. I mostly spend my earnings on hobbies and shopping.
Through the interviews, I had the opportunity to hear various interesting responses about different types of work experiences and the required job competencies. From challenging first job experiences to the necessary skills for specific tasks, I hope that the advice shared will be helpful not only to students who are seeking employment but also to those who are contemplating their job choices and spending habits. I sincerely wish that this Campus Talk would provide empathy and assistance to Gachon University students who are pondering about part-time jobs and their spending habits. < Copyright © The Gachon Herald All rights reserved > |
