As the new school year is beginning to ramp up and students are adjusting to new schedules, some for the first time, they are being faced with a financial wall that is only experienced with newfound independence.

"While I am sure the reason for a once monthly pay is justified, I cannot help but feel financially insecure as a student."

— Mireya Alemán

Students may be inclined to get an on-campus job, something that is advertised at the beginning of the academic school year with the annual On-campus Job Fair. The job fair introduces students to multiple paying jobs just on campus and can open the doors to a variety of opportunities here at Goshen College.

As a student with multiple on-campus jobs, I can say that they are nice for earning some extra money while also gaining experience and office training. My bosses are super great people who want to see me succeed. They have offered wisdom and guidance for future career opportunities and even assisted with my resume.

On-campus jobs are a great way to get to know the people who you may not interact with on a daily basis if you did not have that specific job. On-campus jobs allow students a flexible job with a somewhat steady income of $9.25 an hour as the minimum wage and the cap pay raise at $12.00 an hour according to the Student Employee Manual.

The issue comes not with the pay rate or any job on campus, but with the pay schedule. According to the Goshen College website, students on campus receive their paycheck on the last Wednesday of the month.

This pay schedule does not take into account gas, groceries or other necessities that students may now be paying for on their own.

There is the option for students to take jobs and internships off campus for extra income, but if you are an international student or juggling school, clubs and an on-campus job, it is hard to fit an off-campus job into the mix if you are even eligible.

GC’s monthly pay has been tricky for students for multiple reasons. One of them being that, since students are not allowed to work more than 20 hours a week and most only work up to 10, students are likely missing out on roughly $100 to $150 bi-weekly if they are working anywhere from 12 to 18 hours every two weeks.

This money could easily go towards gas for commuter students, the payment plans students set up if they have a bill from the college, a sudden charge they may have to pay out of pocket for or even a sweet treat every once in a while.

While I am sure the reason for a once monthly pay is justified, I cannot help but feel financially insecure as a student. I find it hard to budget and pay for the things I need throughout the month without having that money accessible to me.

As a commuter I have a car to pay for, books for classes and my SST that will be coming up for May and summer terms. This would also include any purchases that are not related to school but are related to my humanity.

Students should be able to go through their college career without feeling financially insecure, and while workshops are helpful, I think what would be most helpful to students is a more steady and frequent income.