In Japan, people created a term for the recent generation: yutori (pressure free education) generation and satori (lack of ambition) generation. Many of the people are rationalists, do everything by the book, and they’re unwilling to take any risks or actions by themselves because they do not want to make any mistakes. Recently, college education gives a lot of various courses with manifold information; however, none of the classes teaches how to be independent in the society. College students need to go outside their campus and having part-time jobs are the best opportunity to act assertively on their own will. Therefore, having part-time jobs can aid students to become more independent by developing their self-management and social skills.
Some may argue that majority of college students does not need to work, so they should focus more on their education and having part-time jobs can decrease the amount of time they can study. However, research has shown that having part-time jobs are not only about earning money but also motivates college students to study harder by increasing their self-motivation, understanding prioritizations, and learn how to apply their own abilities. Self-motivation refers when people push themselves to work harder; furthermore, having part-time jobs as college students while other students are doing something else means that they had to push themselves to work and thus leads them to become more dedicated. Dedication is mandatory when college students need to finish their assignments; without dedication, students may procrastinate, and they end up earning lower grades by turning in the inferior work that they finished in last minute. Self-motivation also refers to eagerness and increases students’ creativity and innovation. Creativity can be effectively utilized in assignments like presentations, since having a distinctive idea catches people’s attention very easily. Not only motivation, but the work experience improves their self-management skills that also enhances college students’ academic performances. For instance, working requires people to prioritize what they need to do first. In restaurants, there are various jobs waiters and waitresses must cope with, so they are required to prioritize and act accordingly in circumstances because they cannot let the customers wait for too long. Similar in college, students tend to have a lot of assignments and tests to prepare, and it is impossible for them to study effectively if they are disorganized. Therefore, students need to manage time and prioritize what assignments they need to do by scheduling accordingly. Another example would be learning how to apply their own ability. When people start working at first, bosses and co-workers instruct the new employees their job description and the new employees will be required to apply the knowledge they learned during work. Similarly, using professor’s lectures and handouts in college are mandatory to write students’ reports. Therefore, applying the knowledge that they learned earlier is essential for college students to understand the class better and achieve higher grades. Developing self-management skills is significant for college students because as their self-management skills increase, their productivity increases; moreover, students can take an advantage of their experiences from part-time jobs effectively for their college performance.
Besides self-management skills, college students can also increase their social skills by having part-time jobs. According to the website from dictionary.com, social skill means when the personal skills are necessary for successful social communication and interaction. Although some might say that students can improve their social skills in college, students are required to communicate politely in society; most of the conversation students have in college is with their peers. Social skills like communications, team-works and responsibilities are significant especially for college students since they are close to joining the society and start working. Lack of understanding about behaving properly can make the relationships between co-workers uncomfortable and can be harmful to their career life. Part-time jobs can improve students’ communication skills. Having a conversation between customers and co-workers are significant since students are required to listen, understand and express their opinions respectfully towards the others. When students become independent, they need to communicate effectively with their employers, co-workers, and clients; part-time jobs can give opportunities to increase their communication skills that is exclusively different from students communicating with their peers or family members. Not only communication but building team-work with co-workers are indispensable. When the restaurant is busy (from the previous example), employees are required to distribute each role to increase efficiency. Teamwork in part-time jobs are contradictory from teamwork in group presentations since grouping up with peers are much more comfortable whereas the workplace is stressful, and students can feel pressured. Also, taking responsibilities for their actions are also important when students are working. In part-time jobs, students will have much more responsibility because they are expected to perform the job efficiently and completely every time. Additionally, when they made a mistake, finding the solution to the problem is their responsibility. Furthermore, when the employee causes a problem during the project, the employee will be blamed and need to take a responsibility for the blunder. Part-time jobs can help students to come out of comfort zone and prepares for them to become more mature and responsible adult.
Having part-time jobs can aid students to become more independent by developing their self-management skills and social skills. Self-management skills are important for learning to manage time wisely, and social skills are also important since communication is mandatory to survive in this society. The author of the Japanese book called Organization-ology of Thought, Shigehiko Toyama, emphasized that recent educational systems are creating intelligent glider students. A glider is an aircraft that does not include engine but instead, it flies by gliding. Although glider looks like an airplane, the glider cannot fly by themselves like the airplane does; glider students are students who have high GPAs but cannot risk taking any actions by themselves. Students should be able to think critically and take actions by themselves to become like an airplane (or in other words, independent), and I think even thinking about having part-time jobs is one step for students to become more independent.