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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 4, 1990)
No time for social life Work, class load almost cause breakdown College is supposed to be a place where we spend our time learning. Take away all the extra curricular activities - like drinking, socializing, choosing what to wear - and classes are allthat’s left. Unfortunately, most of us can’t afford just to learn. Most of us have to work to survive. Trying to work jobs and study full time nearly checked me into the insane asylum - also full time. It sounded do-able at first. My roommate and I drew up charts of the hours in the day, and how much time I would spend in class, studying for each class and work ing. The time left I could use for other things -- like eating, sleeping and that most important task, emptying the litter box (which if not emptied, tends to get in the way of eating, sleeping and study ing). “I don’t need a social life,” I announced. “After all, I’ll have plenty of time to keep in touch with my friends when I’m fabulously wealthy because I worked so hard in col lege.’’ My roommate, who is not in school, just looked at me. The cat picked that moment to use the litter box. Maybe it was an omen. The first few days were fine, maybe because I didn’t have any homework. I dutifully made little notations on my various charts. The next week, all hell broke loose. Working full time and carry ing a full course load did a few things to me that I’d like to share with readers, like: • It gave me a very big service charge at my bank for all the ATM withdrawals I made to feed myself during the 20 minutes I had for lunch and dinner. It also taught me which fast food restaurants take checks (Runza does; Burger King doesn’t). • It made me consider chopping what’s left of my hair off in order to streamline my daily personal main tenance time (other options included not showering — that’s what deo dorant is for, right?). • I made a lot of stains in my textbooks and notebooks from dribbling pea juice and burrito fill ing over them while trying to study on my dinner break. • I woke my roommate up talk ing in my sleep about sedimentary rocks, Minoan snake goddesses and the reserve list for Danielle Steel’s “Message from Nam” and Scott Turow’s “Burden of Proof.” • I sighed a lot at work, when not clenching my jaw, kicking things and repeating my mantra, “I just don’t have time for this; I can’t deal with this.” • When people asked me how 1 was doing, I subjected them to a semi-hysterical monologue entitled, “Oh-My-God-I’m-So-Stressed-Let Me-Tell-You-About-My-Life.” • I started smoking again after having quit for 3 1/2 years. • I bought a lot of multivitamins and forgot to take them. • I caught part of an Oprah Winfrey snow on stressed-out executives and freaked out because I matched all the symptoms. This was in addition to the guilt I felt at watching TV instead of going over my amphorasandkylixes for Greek art. Finally it got to be too much. I was either going to have to quit school or quit working. And as much as 1 enjoyed my job, salary and benefits, I had this fantasy going around in my head that a college degree would somehow get me a better job, with a better salary and better benefits. Luckily an opening at a different branch of my workplace opened up — taking only 20 hours per week. Luckily I got it. I’m sure my friends didn’t enjoy the sight of me sobbing, mum bling, “Only 20 hours per week - now I can get groceries and empty the litter box and do laundry and read the textbook. That’s all I wanted. I’m so happy.” Maybe I won’t be able to call long-distance anymore. Maybe I’ll have to go back to buying Rain bow-brand food. I’ll survive. In return I get clean clothes and a sweet-smelling cat box. And I can finally get back to the purpose of going to class — you (enow, that place where you are for those hours that your supervisor can’t schedule you. Until I graduate and try balanc ing a life with work. But if they can do it on ‘‘fhirtysomething,” I’m sure it can’t be too hard. William Rudolph is a senior English major and a Daily Nebraskan reporter. House) T,i°frr Blue* 'T weaves} by John (siiare Artie dreams big Stifled by his life and his job, he plans to make a break tor Hollywood with the songs he's composed His mistress says go tor it but his wile is in the way When Artie's son arrives intent upon creating a name tor himselt, complications multiply! Oct 5,6 & 8,9,10,11, 12,13 at 8:00 pm UNIVERSITY THEATRE BOX OFFICE: 109 Tempi® Bldg, 12th & R St., Lincoln. NE HOURS:12-5 pm & 3 hours before performance 472-2073 11 UNIVERSITY Of NEBRASKA LINCOLN Other Menu Items Available Sunday -Thursday 5:00 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday 5:00 p.m. to Midnight