1990s/2000s working while at uni?

[Sleepeatcrochetrepeat]

Eldest niece has just gone off to uni, and the cost of it all really does seem astronomical now. DBIL was saying how they are planning to cut down on holidays, spending etc to fund her on top of loans. I made the mistake of saying oh, she can always get a part time job just like I did when I was a student. It turns out that none of DH family or their partners worked while at uni, parents all paid.
I know this was before tuition fees came in (for me at least) but most people I knew at uni also had a weekend or evening job.

DH and his siblings all went to RG uni’s and apparently couldn’t possibly have worked as well, due to all the sports clubs they were in.

I am now being looked down on because I ‘obviously’ don’t get it.
Surely students working alongside studying is hardly weird?! Even more so now given the cost.

If you were at uni in the late 90s/early 00s, did you also work? Make me feel less of a freak…

I went 90 to 93 and worked. Grants were the thing then, but I didn’t get much. My mum and Dad did top up as much as they could, but I worked.

Was in a band and we did at least 1 paid gig a week and also one of the lecturers owned a hotel, so I either did the bar or waiting in the restaurant. Kept me going nicely.

Just to add my the third year a few more people did work during the term time such as in the university library.

At uni mid 90s and worked term time throughout behind the college bar every Friday, one mid week shift and also events. Waitressed full time in the holidays too. When I did a full time Masters in 1999-2000 I worked three 5pm-3am shifts a week in a bar/restaurant to afford to live! I even worked one weekend shift waitressing during my PGCE.

I find it interesting that people were saying the weather people didn’t work. I suppose I was one of the wealthier students and was fully parental funded. They made absolutely clear though that whilst I didn’t have to work term time I had to work every holiday. They were very strict about creating a work ethic for my sibling and I and weren’t going to let me sit about all holiday. They made me work at a supermarket every Saturday for 8 hours all through my (4!) A-levels as well!

I had some very part time jobs here and there and I worked as much as possible during breaks. Even my lightest year I had 60 hours or so of studying a week as my courses were extremely reading and research intensive. I eventually was in a program that specifically forbid working. The course-load was simply too high.

my DH on the other hand practically worked a full time job. He had an easier course and also barely graduated.

I went to uni in the noughties and had a part time job, as did all of my friends who weren’t from posher background.

As I post on all threads like this: For anyone sending their kids to uni now, YOU ARE DOING THEM A DISSERVICE BY NOT ENCOURAGING THEM TO GET A JOB WHILE STUDYING.

I work for what is seen as an employer with a prestigious, highly sought after grad scheme. I do grad recruitment. 95% of the best candidates have worked throughout their degree (or A Levels). A 2.1 and a part time job is more likely to get you a grad role than a first and no work experience experience.

Went to RG uni 2007-2010. All my friends at uni had jobs, and none of their parents could support them.

I’d say they were in the minority though. There were lots of well to do people on my course who didn’t mention having to work for money - and who were better dressed!

I worked in the local newsagents, for my uni (library assistant and invigilating exams) and Blockbuster most evenings and every weekend in the early '00s. My friends who had a grant didn't have a job. I was jealous at the time that I had to juggle deadlines, exams and work but I came from a wealthier family who pushed me to have a job from 15.

Yes I worked but not for the whole 3 years. I just did it when times got tight. My parents did help out though. I did a few months of waitressing in my second year and about 6-7 months of cleaning in my second year.

Early 00s. Yes I worked every weekend and holiday, loved having my own money. My parents did cover a lot but it meant I could have a pretty nice life really! It also gave me good references and things to talk about in interviews etc. My friends all worked too. I started working while I was at school which was also the norm, it didn't occur to me not to work!

I worked through my GCSEs and A Levels, weekends and holidays. Then through uni I did the same.

I went to the University of Manchester 95-98 and I worked at Sainsbury’s in my last 2 years, transferring temporarily to my local store at home over the summer holidays so basically I worked a Saturday (during the day) and one evening shift a week for the whole two years.

I also worked from 13 - cleaning holiday cottages and then a coffee shop and pubs once old enough. Interested to know where your 13 y/o is working though? My DD15 is looking and can't get anything - keeps getting told insurance wouldn't cover her?

I went to uni in 1998 and did various shop/call centre/office admin roles while I was studying. Most of my friends worked too, there was one girl who didn't but she had worked during a gap year so had savings from that.

I started uni in 1998 & worked part time at BHS while studying.

I went to uni early to mid 90s.
I only worked during the holidays in my first year (got my part-time jobs that I'd been doing all through sixth form back: chambermaid, shelf-stacker and barmaid).
In second year I got almost no grant so needed a term-time job and worked a day and an evening on the till at a supermarket in my university town as well.
I also applied for and got a better summer job, working in a bank in my home town.
Final year I worked two-three shifts per week as a waitress.
I think most people I knew had holiday jobs. There weren't many who worked term time in my circle.

Maybe it’s industry dependent, but I've been involved in hiring graduates through assessment centres and a part time job at Tescos isn’t something which makes a candidate stand out. Relevant work experience can help, but the skills we look for aren’t really gained from a random part time job.

I started uni in 99 having had a year out working and saving money. I worked each summer. I was at uni in a very affordable northern city though. My rent was £35pw. I think I’d have had to work in term time too if I’d been in London.

Early 90s - several part-time jobs; partial grant covered accommodation, but if I wanted to eat or go out I needed to earn it. Some help from parents, but not as much as the government thought they should be able to top up, because they didn't have it!

During 6th form, I worked Saturdays and holidays at the local library and then swimming pool as lifeguard and swimming teacher. Then at uni (I went 1990) I got term time work teaching swimming and lifeguarding, which was paid much better than waitressing or shelf-stacking, and I got free swimming. Don't think I worked term time in the 3rd year. Back home in the hols, I went back to my old jobs and sometimes cleaning - I was balancing 3 jobs at one point.

Didn't work during my masters, as I just didn't have time. Didn't have much time to go out and spend money, either. It was a bit of a shock after my undergraduate experience...

I am pretty good at time management after all that.

I went 2006-2009 and always worked, through term time and holidays, however it was quite rare. Of the other people I lived with, I was the only 1 in my flat of 6 in first year who worked in term time, although 1 was funded by the army so got money from there and tbf did have to go to a lot of events etc in relation to that. I think another 1 or 2 worked in the summer holidays and 2 didn't do anything that I remember.

Then of the 7 others I lived with over the next 2 years, 1 other had a 'proper' job in term time, and 1 worked adhoc for her family's business. Some of the others did some work in the summer but not all. However tbf the 3 of us that worked throughout also lived close enough to uni to commute back in the holidays so could keep the same job which obviously made it easier to find work.

RG uni. We all did courses with very low contact time as well so it was very doable to work and still have fun and get decent marks. Me and the other girls who worked throughout easily did 15hrs paid a week and got the same/better results than those who didn't work at all. We all went out the same amount as well so it's not like working negatively affected us in anyway. tbh I'm not really sure what they did with the extra time!

tbf I didn't work during my masters but that was only about 9/10 months in total and too far away to commute during holidays, as well as being more intensive.

I worked all the way through (started degree in 2003) - two evenings a week and one weekend day in a shop, and two shifts in a nightclub - one shift in the week and one after my day in the shop. I did more hours in holidays. I was also out socialising a lot and (I have no idea how the hell I did it) got a First 😵‍💫 I do remember that I barely slept but somehow it didn’t affect me. Madness. I couldn’t have afforded it if I hadn’t worked, my parents weren’t able to help me as much as they’d have loved to.

I was a mature student in my twenties and worked full time whilst doing Uni 2 evenings a week in the late 1990’s. Did my degree over 4 years instead of 3.
Both parents dead and no cushy inheritance.
I also did my PG whilst working full time.

Step DC worked throughout UG and PG degrees in mid 2000’s.

Without working for a living, none of us could have afforded to attend.🤷🏻‍♀️

Mid 90s student nurse, I worked so did most others, either on the hospital nurse bank as an auxiliary or in nursing homes (I did both). Probably gave us loads of extra experience too.

My husband didn’t work either and couldn’t understand my daughter working, said her studies would suffer.
she passed with a first!