What job did you have while you were in college? / LJWorld.com

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Asked at Massachusetts Street on August 7, 2006

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“I was a house boy at a sorority. I got free food and everything.”

— Seth Davidson, pastor, Lawrence

“I worked at the dorm cafeteria. It was horrible, but it was money.”

— Julie Williams, nurse's aide, Leavenworth

“I was a lifeguard. Bad pay and lots of sunburn.”

— John Hinman, self-employed, Topeka

“I was a nurse’s assistant. It was my stepping stone into nursing.”

— Joanne Ashton, nurse, Tucson, Ariz.

Discussion

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7 August 2006
at 5 a.m.

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jhawkdpt (Anonymous) says…

I worked at Student Health Services as a physical therapy aide.
7 August 2006
at 5:51 a.m.

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oldgranny (Anonymous) says…

Didn't go to college. Didn't really need to in my day. I got my Mrs. degree and then a real life education.
7 August 2006
at 6:19 a.m.

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southerngirl (Anonymous) says…

Gymnastics coach at the North Topeka YMCA, tumbling coach at Jardine Middle School and afternoon relief person at a childcare center.
d
7 August 2006
at 6:36 a.m.

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blue73harley (Anonymous) says…

Hmmmmm…I just can't get past “house boy at a sorority”. Oh, to be young again!
7 August 2006
at 7:04 a.m.

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Gootsie (Anonymous) says…

Now now, Harley…

Secretary, of course.
7 August 2006
at 7:11 a.m.

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jonas (Anonymous) says…

Driver, Debt Collector, Skiptracer, Inbound phone repair (ahhh… sprint telecenters), hotel clerk, gas station clerk, data entry, waiter, bus-boy.
7 August 2006
at 7:26 a.m.

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trinity (Anonymous) says…

jonas, you mentioned “sprint telecenters”; i had my first experience, after having been with SWBell for a gazillion years, of having to call the sprint or whatever the H their name is now, repair center a couple days ago. mannnnnnn, where do they get these people?? i guess if it's college kids i understand…but what an experience in frustration! agh!

i was a mom when i was in college-THAT was my favorite&best job! :)

7 August 2006
at 7:41 a.m.

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jonas (Anonymous) says…

trinity: My observation was this: the people you call are three steps removed from the actual people getting the work done. You would call and talk to me, I would ask some rote questions to get a feel for the type of problem, then I would send your report electronically to the regional dispatch, who would then send the report to the correct local dispatch, who would then send the technician out to do the work (unless of course you missed his brief light knock on your door in the 5 hour availability window that you had to be vigilant during HAHA cuz then he just left and you had to call again!)

So, in the absence of any meaningful repair purpose for my existence in the repair system/mechanism, what I actually was (or at least, what I was supposed to be, and was in trouble a lot for not doing because it felt dirty to me, and why I quit) was a telemarketer, just one that, in order to get your service fixed you had to go through. Training, both at hire and continuing, was focused 40/20/40 on using the operating system/troubleshooting/upselling and selling additional products. I don't know if that's still the case, but from the sound of things I would guess that it is.
7 August 2006
at 8:21 a.m.

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The_Original_Bob (Anonymous) says…

Fluffer.
7 August 2006
at 8:22 a.m.

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southerngirl (Anonymous) says…

You're lucky if you get a college kid these days! I called a call center for something last week and could barely understand the woman who took my call. I think I'd rather use a push button system (press one for…) than talk to someone from another country who is taking an American job…
7 August 2006
at 8:26 a.m.

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Topside (Anonymous) says…

I worked at a sweat shop, er…I mean Hastings.

PS- Unless things have drastically improved NEVER buy candy there. It is all REALLY old and stale.
7 August 2006
at 8:29 a.m.

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KSChick1 (Anonymous) says…

TOB-fluffer?

were yours the best teeth they have ever come across?
7 August 2006
at 8:49 a.m.

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acg (Anonymous) says…

TOB, that killed me! I was a waitress/bartender, in every kind of place one can imagine, from biker bars to 5 star dining. I'm so glad I don't do that anymore!
7 August 2006
at 8:51 a.m.

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trinity (Anonymous) says…

lol, thanks for that explanation jonas! :)

i only have a TWO hour window for the service person! i've got to leave work early (no sweat there, lol) to be home between 3:15&5:15. i will stand vigilant on my front porch to watch for 'em!

for once, i think that i knew MORE about my problem than did the tech. i humored him though. i was vindicated when he finally concluded what i'd told him at the git-go; bad dsl line. his tech term for it was “horrible” dsl line, lmaoooooooo!
7 August 2006
at 8:53 a.m.

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RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Anonymous) says…

Did alot of things, retail, janitor, c-store clerk, trim carpenter, truck driver-one night on the road and I'm a gonna make it to diff-Eq.

I had a roommate with a job similar to TOB's, I'm pretty sure he was a porn video reviewer/cheetos quality tester.

7 August 2006
at 9:01 a.m.

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Solomon (Anonymous) says…

“I was a house boy at a sorority. I got free food and everything.”

And everything??!! What sorority was that, again?
7 August 2006
at 9:06 a.m.

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craigers (Anonymous) says…

Worked at Target. Great student job, good pay, hours, benefits… No complaints here.
7 August 2006
at 9:29 a.m.

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DanFreako (Anonymous) says…

I was a bouncer at Coyotes, Tremmors and the bar before Tremmors ..729.

As well as for a NIH study at the Ellsworth cafeteria for my degree.
7 August 2006
at 9:31 a.m.

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sunflower_sue (Anonymous) says…

Florist, green-house worker, freelance artist, go-fer, wife (and all the jobs that come with that title.)
7 August 2006
at 9:34 a.m.

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sgtwolverine (Anonymous) says…

A funeral home? H_L, is that you?
7 August 2006
at 9:54 a.m.

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RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Anonymous) says…

I met one chick in a collaboration group who said she was a “temporary social companion”
7 August 2006
at 9:59 a.m.

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sunflower_sue (Anonymous) says…

RI, don't we all have that title until we get married? And then, sadly, 50% of us could still claim it.
7 August 2006
at 10:15 a.m.

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Pywacket (Anonymous) says…

I'm sorry—I'm too distracted by the resemblance of Pastor Seth (the sorority houseboy) to Billy (Brenda's crazy brother) from Six Feet Under. Brrrrrr….. I don't even want to think about that.

Worked at Serials & Acquisitions at Watson Library. Crappy student pay but great people to work with, kindly boss, flexible hours..

7 August 2006
at 10:18 a.m.

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H_Lecter (Anonymous) says…

Sgt.,
I think getting to know them before they expire is more interesting and fun. While a funeral home would have it's perks… (did you ever hear, “You can't spell funeral without f-u-n?”)
7 August 2006
at 10:35 a.m.

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YourItalianPrincess (Anonymous) says…

WHile attending college I worked at Kindercare. It was great on the job training as I completed my ECE courses.

I now own my own little in home daycare here in Lawrence and its great to be the boss.

I'm on vacation for all week which I take twice a year. My oldest moved out on his own, so now my youngest is changing rooms. Its going to be a busy week for us here at home, and we are hoping to also fit in going to Chicago or St. Louis for a couple of days too.

Have a great day everyone.
7 August 2006
at 10:53 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

I worked at K-Mart, Taco Tico, and as a bookkeeper for an auto dealership. Lots of different experiences which served me well as I entered the full time job market.
7 August 2006
at 10:55 a.m.

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jayhawks71 (Anonymous) says…

anonymous LJ Reader; vindictive and jealous… expect nothing less.

So what if their parents were successful and paid for their kids education, vehicle, cell phone, computer and so on?

Don't be such a hater.
7 August 2006
at 11:23 a.m.

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Jayhawk226 (Anonymous) says…

- Res. Hall monitor (my body and sleep patterns still haven't recovered from those darn mid-AM hours)

- Office of Admissions/Scholarships transcript evaluator
(last 2 weeks…..hated it!!!!)

- Asst. Weekend Program Director @ Natural History Museum
(Ride Comanche, Ride!!)
7 August 2006
at 11:24 a.m.

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Jayhawk226 (Anonymous) says…

ah, and left out:

- Substitute teacher for Lawrence schools
7 August 2006
at 11:35 a.m.

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mlemiller (Anonymous) says…

Reporter/morning show host for a public radio station. I loved it. I wish I was still doing it.
7 August 2006
at 12:11 p.m.

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ihatejohntravolta (Laura Watkins) says…

I had two campus jobs while in school and would definitely suggest them to any KU student. It was really hard for me to find a job off-campus and the college jobs are plentiful and pay fairly well.

7 August 2006
at 12:39 p.m.

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boogeyman (Anonymous) says…

Beware the Girl Scouts!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/08/06/rabi…

Just to be safe, we might quarantine all of them for 10 days.
7 August 2006
at 12:45 p.m.

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H_Lecter (Anonymous) says…

Why stop at ten?
7 August 2006
at 12:48 p.m.

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samsnewplace (Anonymous) says…

I worked in the toy store for JC Penney in Santa Monica, CA. The main store was located across the alley and then they had a building in a small parking lot that was just a toy store. Alot of fun memories there.
7 August 2006
at 1:04 p.m.

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KSChick1 (Anonymous) says…

thanks bialys

like to point out he started it! :)
7 August 2006
at 1:09 p.m.

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RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Anonymous) says…

S.S.

“RI, don't we all have that title until we get married? And then, sadly, 50% of us could still claim it.”

Are you of both the latter and former group?

As to the “temporary social companion” chick. I interpreted her job title as having a variety of clients, who employed her for an hour or two at a time.
7 August 2006
at 1:26 p.m.

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The_Original_Bob (Anonymous) says…

Hey, I did what I had to do to get through college. It was only dirty till I got used to it then it was just another day at work.
7 August 2006
at 1:35 p.m.

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KStater (Kristen Murphy) says…

I worked at a dining hall and the sports info department. It was fun! Sure paid the bills!
7 August 2006
at 1:44 p.m.

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ejh0486 (Anonymous) says…

I was a member of the sorority house where Seth was a house boy. I am sure the job had to stink at times, but he worked with a great cook, an awesome house mom and the other house boys were very nice. He rarely had to interact with us unless he wanted to. (But I would say we were a pretty decent group of girls) By the by, he was extremely sweet and well-mannered! I am glad to see he became a pastor!

7 August 2006
at 1:48 p.m.

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ejh0486 (Anonymous) says…

Oh yeah … Shoe store, fast food, catering company, receptionist at a clinic, advertising agency, KC Star, and KU. Most of the time I was working those jobs at the same time. College is expensive!
7 August 2006
at 2:02 p.m.

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The_Original_Bob (Anonymous) says…

” I am glad to see he became a pastor!”

Not at all how I thought that story was going to end.
7 August 2006
at 2:15 p.m.

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peachesncream (Anonymous) says…

lol T_O_B cute….im wondering where seth is a pastor at , cause im thinkin maybe i need to go back to church (wink)
7 August 2006
at 3:24 p.m.

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sunflower_sue (Anonymous) says…

RI, still clinging to the former group…not the latter. So, I guess by you're definition, a “temporary social companion” is 2 hours or less time spent? Did she make good wages? ;)
7 August 2006
at 3:46 p.m.

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acg (Anonymous) says…

Hehe, TOB, me either. I think the pervy part of me wanted the story to go something like “Dear Hustler. I was a house boy in a fraternity. I got free food, and everything! The job was great. One day, after mowing the lawn, I came in for a drink of cold water. I was sweaty and my white tshirt clung to my chest. There were 3 sorority girls in the kitchen that day…….” Ah to be young and dumb and, well you all know the rest of that adage. :)
7 August 2006
at 3:53 p.m.

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char (Anonymous) says…

Slicer at Mr. Goodcent's, housekeeper at a hotel back home (yes, minimum wage to clean up other people's puke, literally), and assistant lab analyst at the mining and processing plant my dad works for. The last was the best: $17+ an hour, and I got to stay inside in the AC most of the time. I did have to do 12 hour shifts my second summer there, but the pay was worth it.
7 August 2006
at 5:26 p.m.

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ljreader (Anonymous) says…

What? No barristas? I don't think that position even existed when I was in college.
I worked in retail where “the customer was always right”. aaarrrggg!
7 August 2006
at 5:42 p.m.

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RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Anonymous) says…

S.S.,

Good wages? Heck if I know, She fulfilled her part of the project.

7 August 2006
at 5:43 p.m.

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The_Original_Bob (Anonymous) says…

ACG - Wait. Isn't that a scene from one of the amatuer videos you found behind the Frat house?
7 August 2006
at 6:26 p.m.

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ljreader (Anonymous) says…

OMB- One time, a woman came in and bought a set of glasswear. I watched an employee very carefully wrap them and place them in a box.
A couple of hours later, the customer came back with broken glasses. She said she dropped them and wanted her money back. The employee came and got me. The woman told me the same story.
I said, “Yeah, they're glass. If you drop glass, it breaks”.
Then the nitwit said, “But they're NEW- they shouldn't break”.
I wasn't going to give her a refund, but the owner of the place got involved and refunded her money.
Just one story in the Naked City of retail.
7 August 2006
at 8:15 p.m.

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lubyloo (Anonymous) says…

Super K-Mart in the toy department! I worked there during the first Christmas that Tickle Me Elmo came out. It was completely insane. I think I was asked, “Do you have Tickle Me Elmo?” about five thousand times. This job tested my sanity. The key is to not get ambitious about straightening up the department and just come to the realization that it will ALWAYS be a disaster area. You just have to walk through the aisles and pick things up off the floor — don't even try to put them back, just pick the toys up and put them somewhere so the people can get down the aisles.

By the way, Topside, funny that you should make that comment about stale candy at Hastings. I bought a pack of gum there the other day and it was so old that it was crunchy!!
7 August 2006
at 9:38 p.m.

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Napoleon_Dynomite (Anonymous) says…

The white color of chocolate may be due to exposure to heat rather than age.