The Martlet

I’m a sixth year undergraduate student. By the time I complete my current degree, I’ll be midway through year seven. There are certain stigmas attached to this — we live in a culture where a four, max five, year undergraduate stint is the norm. Some see me as indecisive and unproductive. Others assume I’ve taken time off, for work or play. In reality, I’ve spent the last 6 years flirting with different subjects and falling in love with quite a few of them. I’ve completed one degree in writing, the majority of a second in chemistry, and a minor in commerce. It’s not that I haven’t decided what I want to do with my life; I just don’t see the point in rushing through it.

The current job market is tough (most of you have heard this by now) and entering a graduating class for the third consecutive year, I’ve seen how rocky the transition into the workforce can be. Most of my peers don’t have a career lined up when they finish their bachelor’s degree. Two years out, many aren’t even working in their desired field. Some have turned to graduate school for lack of better options; others, volunteer work or travel. Those who do have desirable jobs linked up with their companies while in school, via co-op, work-study or DIY networking.

Being a student makes you more valuable than you’d think.

Imagine this scenario: you meet a potential employer at a cocktail party. He asks what you’re doing at the moment and you answer either (a) I’m in my final year of a commerce major or (b) I’ve just recently completed my B. Sc. in Biology (a.k.a. I’m not yet employed.) Should you then inquire about employment, the situation is weighted by your first response. In scenario (a) you appeared proactive and ambitious, in (b) you became just another guy that needs work.

As a student on a job hunt, you’ve also got an army at your disposal: career councillors, co-op advisors, and professors who are employed by the university to prepare you for a career. Save the hunt for post-graduation, and suddenly you’re on your own. Okay, but what about the financial commitment to staying in school?

One thing to understand is that being a student is not an all or nothing decision. At UVic, three classes per term is considered full time. A mere 9-hours of class per week is all you need to reap the benefits of a bus pass, health plan, a myriad of discounts — in some cases even bursaries and awards. I’ll assume that most students can hold a job on top of that — especially given the number of student friendly positions on and off campus that offer flexible schedules. In fact, many of these operations only hire students! Personally, I find a 32 hour work week manageable, but to account for the heavy studiers, let’s assume a cap of 20 hours per week.

In the traditional approach to undergraduate life, you might study full time for eight months of the year, and work four, giving you 40 hours times 18 weeks, which equals 720 hours of work per year.

If you do both, part time and year round, you have 20 hours times 52 weeks totalling 1 040 hours. Slot in a vacation, and you still come out on top. Plus, there’s something to be gained by staying with the same company year round — especially for the duration of a six-year degree.

Once I graduate (eventually), I’ll have completed over 90 credits of course work. I’ll have the handful of credentials that go along with them. Most importantly, I’ll be debt-free. But ultimately, whether you’re 22 or 25, when you enter the work force your age will have little relevance upon your career trajectory. Those extra three years you spent learning new things and networking with ambitious like-minded people — those will make all the difference in the world.