My Sundays start like every other Conn student’s, with moving sweaty clothes from a large blue bin to a slightly smaller washing machine—only they’re not my clothes. How did I get myself into doing other people's laundry? The summer before my first semester at Conn I knew I was going to be involved in the Federal Work-Study program, which helps students who receive financial aid get jobs on campus to further reduce the cost of being a college student. I emailed Kelsey Lengyel-Jacovich, the manager of the Athletic Center, and asked her about available jobs for the upcoming semester. There were multiple jobs open so I decided to take on three different positions: ID checker, equipment room staff, and game crew. In my three roles, I work at the front desk greeting people and checking them in. I wash practice and gameday clothes for in-season athletes, and I assist with setup and other miscellaneous tasks to keep the games running smoothly.

There are so many perks to having a job at the Athletic Center, even though the walk from my dorm, Harkness, can sometimes be a pain (especially in downpouring rain). I love sitting at the front desk because it’s really fun seeing new faces of Conn students I have not met yet, or on the special occasion seeing employees of Oasis Snack Shop taking a break from providing students with a plethora of phenomenal mozzarella sticks at the student center. Although the equipment room job may seem vile to some, or impossible for those who do not yet know how to do your own laundry—you should really learn how to do this unless you’re on a varsity sport and plan on wearing practice clothes and uniforms all the time—it is actually a pretty fun, smelly, job. I am allowed to listen to music and do homework while doing this job so I have been caught dancing around in the laundry room singing along to whatever song I’m obsessed with that week, while preparing loads of laundry for teams like COCOWOSO (Conn College women’s soccer.) My favorite job is game crew. I love having an excuse to hang around the soccer, basketball, and hockey games, supporting my friends. I see them putting in work all week in the weight room, doing what they love while representing our school. On Wednesday nights, Sunday nights, and game nights, you can find me in various parts of the Athletic Center, making money to support my coffee habit, gaining experience at jobs I never imagined I would do, and chipping away at my book expenses.