I had woken up at seven in the morning. Tying up my shoes, putting on my uniform, again, I resented that everyone else was still sleeping. Except me. Why, you may ask? I was asking myself that same question.
Having finished my academic year, I realised that the best thing to do was to get a job. But as I was putting on my shoes, trudging towards the bus stop, and grumbling my way into work, I realised that this is a reality for many students. Without the option to earn money during term time, aside from occasional bar shifts or college open days, the pressure to earn money in the holidays is far greater.
I should start with the positives. We are fortunate to have longer holidays (as we discussed in last week’s Spotlight article, which can be read here). With holidays averaging around six weeks, this allows for up to 42 days of potential work. Whilst working every one of those days would be far too much for any student, the opportunity to earn more is greater. In exchange for long terms to study, we’re gifted with long holidays to earn money.
But that potential for earning money can snowball. Suddenly, we’re being launched into many hours of work, days upon days of shifts. Out of the last nine days, I have worked eight. I am likely not alone in this experience. Students jump at the opportunity for shifts, desperate for a source of money to fund their degree. We’re fortunate enough to be privy to multiple bursaries by the university, but sometimes even that isn’t enough. Earlier this term, Wadham College rent was projected to increase by over 10 percent. This illustrates why students feel inclined to accept extra shifts at the first opportunity, simply trying to make ends meet throughout the academic year. And without a chance to do this during the terms, it means the hunt for extra income is on whilst at home.
Not all work is bad, and not all shifts are evil. It’s just that the quantity that some students work will be disproportional to that of others. It’s a given at any university that there will be a divide between those who need more financial support, and those who don’t. However, in a university that regularly produces the likes of Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, and Jacob Rees-Mogg, the gap feels wider. Those from financially better-off backgrounds will likely have to work less during the holidays, therefore they can invest more time into their studies. This leads to a greater disparity, not just in finance, and thus quality of student life whilst in Oxford, but also in academics due to the amount of time each student can dedicate to their studies.
Moreover, even if you can afford to pay your rent, that’s not the whole picture. Beyond Oxford, there’s a life to be lived at home – a place where students are spending a large portion of their year. Finance could be vital for a whole array of things, whether that be for enjoyment, extracurricular endeavours, or out of necessity. For example, an interesting one is driving lessons. There are people who have access to a car to practise with and whose lessons are fully-funded by their parents. And there are other people who can’t practise outside of their lessons, where each of those lessons must be paid for out of their own pocket. I’m not against the idea of teaching people how to budget better in order to afford the things they want. I simply wish that no-one has to struggle under incredibly tight budgets, compared to others who can spend more liberally. For some, travelling across the world can be a regular occurrence, not caring how far or how often they set off. For others, these opportunities would be a luxury. No way is incorrect, but this disparity leads to a completely different university experience. On one hand, someone can head out clubbing, accidentally blow too much money, and then ask their parents for support. On the other hand, someone else can budget and plan carefully, have an unexpected expense, and then have to work extra hours to make ends meet. These are opposite scenarios, and certainly not the whole picture, but a picture that should, nonetheless, be painted.
Additionally, if you’re working many hours to afford bare necessities, when do you have a chance to rest? Oxford terms are nothing short of exhausting, and rest is nothing short of essential. All students should be given the chance to stop worrying for a week, relax in bed, and catch up on missed sleep. And yet, this may not be possible for some who have to jump straight back into work.
To give credit where it’s due, it does teach useful life skills. Budgeting is not something that can be taught, but rather experienced, and university is the chance for just that. Understanding that life isn’t one massive party is important to learn, and will serve those students well in future. Allocating a certain amount of money to a food shop, walking rather than taking the bus, and searching for the best supermarket deals – these are all cornerstones of a well-equipped young person starting out in the world.
Therefore, part of me offers sympathy to those who don’t have such experiences. There are some students who have never had to get a job, never had to wake up before the birds rise, and have never had to iron their work uniform. Yes, that is an ideal life that I’m sure all of us would crave. But this isn’t a utopia. To live in this world means to struggle in this world, whether an early morning shift, missing the last bus home after you finish late, or covering for a sick colleague. The rigour of the routine of getting up and heading to work is an incredible skill to have. You’re not dependent on someone else for a resolution, but rather know that anything you want must be earned. These long shifts of spending nine hours on your feet, serving the public in a manner entirely unrelated to your dream career, is what builds young people into prospective employees. It helps to construct a well-rounded, self-motivated individual.
And, yes, this is all very good in the long-term. Of course, it’ll look amazing on a CV to say that you worked throughout your degree. But the emphasis is on the degree. When your studies are the priority, how can work be ranked so highly on our to-do list? If you’re rocking up every day with only a 20-minute break, where do you find time to read the next Tolstoy or start your next problem sheet? The less financially secure a student is, the more likely some of their studies will be sacrificed. And whilst they may adopt the social skills to help them succeed in interviews, how do they regain the time to work on their degree – something that not only gets them towards a career, but is also a passion they want to explore?
I have now finished my long eight-day stint of shifts. In the next few days off that I have, I look forward to utilising my local library and coffee shops every day to pursue my academic work. I’m not bitter to have had to work; I’m grateful to have a job in the current economic climate. But I’m also conscious of the books stacked on my shelf and the calendar rolling by. And I think of those less fortunate than myself, who have less time to focus on their academia in pursuit of next year’s rent. University should be accessible to all, and currently, that doesn’t seem to be the case. No-one should have to sacrifice their passions for their degree due to the expense of rent. Working has many benefits, and it will always be a vital part of student life, but at what point will the disparity grow too far?