UM Advisor Gives Financial Tips to Potential Study Abroad Students

For this post, I interviewed Study Abroad advisor Maury Breazeale, who provided some insight as to how students can receive financial aid to study in other countries. In the video, Breazeale confirms certain sources of financial aid and explains specifics regarding who offers aid on the UM campus. Finally, Breazeale informs students considering studying abroad of ways to financially prepare for these ventures.

Summer Fun v. Summer Jobs: Is Working During Your Break Worth It?

While some Ole Miss students take to the beaches and even foreign countries this summer break, others are focusing on summer employment back home. For this post, students weighed in on the ups and downs of summer jobs.

Pro: No More Boredom

Sophomore Abby Abide explained that working over the summer brings in the big bucks while keeping her busy.

"One of the best things about having a job over the summer is I feel like I'm actually being productive with all the time I have," Abide said.

Con: No More Waking up at Noon

College students have the luxury of scheduling classes to work around their unorthodox sleep schedules. However, when it comes to summer jobs, some students have experienced a serious wake-up call.

Junior Caroline Cole said, "It's late July, and I'm just now getting used to waking up early for work."

Pro: You're Preparing for the Future

Although Cole has struggled to roll out of bed some mornings, she pointed out important benefits of her job at a local law firm.

"It's a good way to make references for resumes [...]

I've been able to learn more about the profession I intend on pursuing," Cole said.

Con: You May Be Preparing too Soon

Of course, a summer job can be overwhelming for some, especially if their plans for the future are not necessarily set in stone.

Abide said, "A downside would be that I'm not really getting a break in between school and work. I sometimes think, 'Well, I do have the rest of my life to be working, so shouldn't I be enjoying this freedom now?'."

The Deal-Breaker: It all Depends on the Job

Sophomore Kristian Macias worked last summer but opted out of a job this break. His words of wisdom for other students were to try to enjoy their jobs and focus on the end result: PAYDAY.

"It's all about environment. I didn't exactly have a 'lax' job last year, and the stress wore me out. You've got to be committed if you're going to trade your summer away for some extra cash," Macias said.

With that in mind, it's up to the individual whether or not a summer job is best for him or her. From the students getting ready for the real world to those just looking to add some padding to their wallets, choosing work over play seems to have its perks!

Student Employment Opportunities: Ole Miss Resident Assistant

Transcription of interview with junior journalism major Kimbrely Dandridge on the benefits of being an R.A.:

Me: As the fall semester approaches, many students are looking for both on and off campus employment. Junior Journalism major Kimbrely Dandridge chose to shed light on the resident assistant, or R.A. position in the university’s dorms.

Kimbrely Dandridge: “It’s a really good employment opportunity just because of the costs. Because first of all you’re only paying 1000 dollars for your room, so you’re already saving and paying for rent, and instead of getting an apartment you have this room that’s only 1000 dollars. And then on top of that you’re getting 500 dollars a month, so I thought it was a pretty, pretty good deal […] We’re the highest paid student employers on campus, so we have the highest paid job of anyone. Because I mean you think about it, most students get paid by the hour, but here you have R.A.’s they’re getting a 1000 dollar room, which most people are paying like 3000 for their rent every semester. So you’re getting a 1000 dollar room, and you’re getting 500 dollars a month. And every year you stay and continue to be an R.A. your pay goes up. So my freshman year I was making 230 on the 15^th and 30^th when we got paid and then my sophomore year I made 260 dollars when I got paid, so this year it would be 290, and so it goes up 30 dollars each year. So if you stayed all four years you could well make almost four hundred dollars on the 15^th and the 30th, which would be 800 dollars a month.

Me: If you’re interested in the R.A. position., applications are posted online at the Ole Miss Department of Student Housing and Residence Life’s website.