Money: every college kid needs it to survive. Whether it’s paying for books, tuition or just some money to eat out on a Friday night – it’s essential to our survival. Asking parents for extra spending cash can be exhausting for a lot of students, so most of them turn to finding a job. Working and going to school full-time can sound like the biggest drag in the world. Never fear though, there are jobs on campus that can help you make some money and leave you with some free time to socialize. Plus, school and work can be on the same grounds. We’ve come up with a list of some campus jobs that students can make money at while still maintaining a social life.

On-Campus Internships

On campus internships can be one of the better jobs for a full-time student. It’s a great way to get paid and build your resume at the same time. Best part is, these internships on campus usually work around your class schedule and you don’t have to work weekends! At Oregon State, you can sometimes find internships through specific colleges and outside companies that work with Oregon State. If you’re looking for an internship, it’s wise to look sooner rather than later as most places only generally offer 1-3 intern positions.

Beaver Athletics

Oregon State Athletics has a lot of perks. You get to be hands on with putting together athletic events and even get the chance to work with companies such as the PAC-12. The jobs start with minimal pay but provide the great experience of working with those in the athletic department. After a year, you get a steadier hourly wage in addition to free Nike Oregon State gear and access to every home game!

Tutor

Tutoring is often something that works for a lot of students.  If you have a subject you’re particularly good at, it’s a great way to keep your knowledge sharp while helping a fellow student in need! Oregon State has some tutoring centers (such as the Math Learning Center) where student tutors have open hours to help people. You can also advertise on your own and become your own boss of your private tutoring company!

Administrative Assistant

There are a lot of offices at Oregon State that need help in the office. Often times front desk workers are students. These jobs are fairly easy jobs and you can add all the administrative skills to your resume. Most of the offices are also only open Monday through Friday, so that leaves you with a free weekend and a little extra cash in your pocket!

Barista

Coffee is the lifeline that most Oregon State students survive on during the school year. Being a barista can be a pretty fast pace job. It’s a great way of being in the food service business without working directly in the dining hall. Plus, there’s perks for free or discounted coffee and you get to learn how to make your favorite drinks! While most of the café’s on campus are open on the weekends, they aren’t open all day leaving you with free time on your weeknights and weekends.

Having your own money to spend while you’re in college is a great way for you to build financial independence early before you enter the real world. While there are many great jobs at Oregon State, these are some of the ones we found to be the most rewarding while maintaining a social life. Happy job-hunting Beaver Nation!

Photography by Haining (Will) Wu