Many WSU students work part-time jobs in addition to going to school full-time. A smaller number have jobs that require them to work late nights, sometimes as late as 2 a.m.

Places like Flix Cafe, the CUB and Einstein Bros. Bagels are all open past midnight.

After a few months of working the late shift, going to bed late became second nature to Mackenzie Szerlog, who has been working at Flix for nearly five years.

Szerlog, a fifth-year senior and student manager at Flix Cafe, said she wouldn’t get home until 1:30 – 2 a.m. when she first started working the late night closing shifts as a freshman.

“It was difficult at first because no one really wants to go to bed as soon as they get home,” she said. “You’re still amped from working, and you’re starving, so you end up going to bed at like two or three.”

In addition to working 18 – 20 hours at Flix, Szerlog is also an active member of the National Society for Minorities in Hospitality, serving as the club’s vice president this year. Being active in a club and working a part-time job can make balancing a school life difficult, but Szerlog said she has gotten used to it throughout her years at WSU.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, students working one to 15 hours have a significantly higher GPA than students who do not work at all.

“It’s kind of one of those things where they say ‘you can have a social life, a work life and a school life: pick two,’ ” Szerlog said, laughing. “But I’ve managed to make it work.”

Working while going to school has been a huge learning experience, she said. She has gained skills in time management, customer service and leadership as a student manager.

Students work part-time jobs for various reasons — to pay for rent, groceries and tuition, to name a few. To bring in more money, some students take on two part-time jobs while going to school full time.

Senior Juan Quijada works two jobs at Student Financial Services and Einstein Bros. Bagels.

Quijada has worked for Einstein’s since he was a freshman and has been a student manager for a year.

Duties as a student manager include overseeing the operations, making sure employees show up for their shifts, filling in for anyone that may have called out of their shift and knowing when to send employees home, he said.

On Sunday nights at Einstein’s, he works the closing shift and usually doesn’t leave until about 1:30 a.m.

“When I get home, it usually takes me at least an hour to fall asleep,” he said. “I have class at 10 a.m. Monday mornings, so then I wake up feeling tired.”

Even though those mornings can be tough, working the closing shift is preferable to the opening shift, he said. Student managers have to arrive at 6 a.m. during the morning shift.

Quijada also works part time in the office of Student Financial Services, processing financial aid documents and making sure all documents are filled out correctly.

He currently works 30 hours per week between both jobs.

At Student Financial Services, students set their schedule at the beginning of the year, which helps with balancing schoolwork, he said.

“I like staying busy because it makes me more organized and I like staying on top of all the things I have to do,” he said.

Working two jobs helps Quijada pay his rent. Any leftover money he earns, he uses for more fun activities, he said.

Szerlog usually doesn’t have money left over for extra things, she said. Most of her earnings go toward rent, groceries and tuition.

“I have a twin brother, and my parents told us we need to get a job as soon as possible,” she said. “Putting two kids through college right now is very costly, so I knew from the get go that I would need to find a job.”

Although finding a job was something she needed to do, she said she has enjoyed her time at Flix. The student managers there are very close knit, and often get together outside of work.

Szerlog said working in college is one of the best experiences for students.

“It’s such a good opportunity and it’s right there in front of you,” she said. “I try and tell students to consider getting a job, because you can learn so much.”

*This is part one of a three-part series on student workers on campus.