Relatively unimportant question (skills, school, career, paying)

[carlcockatoo]

Let's say, hypothetically, I am a full time college student who works during summer/winter but does not have a paying job during the semester. Is this socially acceptable? Is it common?

Let's say I'm 23 and in my last year of university and it's the same scenario. Is it common? Is it socially acceptable?

Let's say that I have unpaid internships or something during my studies, but only 'real work' (i.e. a paid job) during summer/winter months. Does it become socially acceptable then? What if the summer/winter job is a recurring gig and not just me bouncing through jobs? Does it become okay then?

ftr I am not 23; I'm 18 and in my first year of college. I also have been working during my studies for most of it. I am just wondering due to some potential future scenarios where this would be likely. Regardless of me though, let's say you meet someone 20-23 years old who is a full time student, at least works during summer+breaks, is possibly also doing career-related unpaid work during his/her studies, and is otherwise a functional adult, do you look down on that? Is that a rare thing?

I've been unemployed for two weeks and I already feel like a huge manchild lol, so any future scenario where it would be advantageous for me not to work during full-time studies would make me feel a bit ashamed of myself. Just curious.

[joe from dayton]

You are overthinking this. Some students work while school is in session and some don't. Nobody cares.

[carlcockatoo]

alright that's cool.

not that I care; I'm going to do what I'm going to do but I'd at least like some self-awareness in the process. >_>

[Pitt Chick]

Socially acceptable??

Work or don't work... society as a whole will not care.

[tnff]

Yep, nobody much cares. The important thing is work if you need to, but focus on the education so it doesn't interfere with your coursework.

[Hemlock140]

No, people won't care, however, gaining work experience and having more money to live on/save/reduce student loan debt is a good thing.

[BirdieBelle]

Work to gain skills and earn income, not to please some "they" you don't even know.

[almost3am]

i only worked summers during school. I did stay active in school though (clubs, extra projects, etc) and got my double major done in 4 years.

[TabulaRasa]

I didn't work as an undergrad student, except for the maximum hours of on-campus work study allowed by my financial aid package. I worked factory jobs every summer I was in school, and that was my book money and spending money. My work study paycheck got signed directly back to the college, as it was a part of my financial aid package.

I went to college in a small, liberal arts college town, and the majority of people there did not work full-time as students. Lots did work study, some did bartender/server gigs at different bars, restaurants, coffee shops in town, but there weren't loads of employers.

No one way of doing things was any more socially acceptable or unacceptable than another.

[carlcockatoo]

yeah I've read all of your posts and I respect all of them.

If you must know I am asking because of a potential scenario where I leave the country but legally can't work due to visa restrictions.