ASHLEY BRITZ

It’s widely known that the average university student is lacking in terms of their bank balance. Textbooks, tuition, parties, take-out — all of these purchases can become a financial strain.  That’s when it’s time to get a job.

From personal experience, I find that a large percentage of university students work retail jobs. While the extra money may be a great benefit, it can sometimes be a struggle to deal with customers and to balance your work schedule around exams and homework.

It’s also tough having to drag yourself out of bed at 9 a.m. on a Saturday, riddled with the remnants of your Friday night drinking, only to plaster on a smile at work and try to hide the fact that you have a killer hangover. However, these complications can be worked around and compromised with some simple tips.

First and foremost, learn to deal with customers. They are useful, as their patronage keeps you in the job and allows you to get your paycheque every two weeks. But many times, they can be incredibly difficult to deal with if they don’t get their way.

Your best bet in terms of dealing with difficult customers is to keep yourself calm. They don’t know or care that you have a 20 page research report due in two days. Their focus is entirely on the fact that you aren’t giving them their $10 discount because they left their coupon at home.

Many times, difficult customers are illogical. Being aware of that makes it easier to deal with them. Do everything you can to help them and if they still aren’t satisfied, that’s their issue.

If a customer is being so difficult that I’m being driven towards tears or insanity, I’ll usually call over a manager or a co-worker with more experience and get them to take over. Don’t be afraid to ask for a little help when dealing with difficult people — it will save you a lot of unnecessary stress and strain.

Another struggle is balancing a retail job schedule with schooling. In my estimation, the average number of work hours that is actually doable for a full-time student is roughly 16-25 per week.

This allows you to have some evenings and maybe a few weekend days off here and there for studying. It’s important to notify your manager of this limit and to ensure that they don’t try to make you work more than you can. Your degree and grades are more important than stocking shelves.

Last but not least, most university students have to experience the dreaded hangover now and then. That may seem not so bad, if you can lay in bed all day and slowly nurse yourself to full health with copious amounts of Internet browsing, Netflix and sleep.

But sometimes the choice comes between staying in on a Friday when you have to work Saturday morning or going on a liquor-riddled adventure. Let’s be real: most of you like adventures and liquor more than folding t-shirts.

I find the most useful ways to dealing with a hangover are healthy foods and energy drinks. Try to get as many vitamin-rich foods as possible in order to help process the alcohol. My favorites are fruits, vegetables and eggs.

A coffee or an energy drink can be a great help to make you more alert for the job. The best way to hide a hangover at work is to work as hard as possible and to be enthusiastic. Even if you look tired, nobody will know the wiser or really care, as they will be too impressed with your work ethic.

Working a retail job as a college student doesn’t necessarily have to be a downer. If you learn how to deal with the customers, plan your schedule wisely and master combating your hangovers, you can make the student retail experience financially rewarding, without driving yourself too crazy.

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Image: Ashley Britz