Kaitlyn Hof-Mahoney has been working a summer job every year since she finished her sophomore year of high school.
Hof-Mahoney, senior in history, is no stranger to working in the summer, like many other college students.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 48.9 percent of people ages 16-24 were employed during July 2010.
Hof-Mahoney said her least favorite job she ever had was her first job: babysitting.
"That summer I spent babysitting two little boys," Hof-Mahoney said. "They were maybe 4 and 8 years old. The 4-year-old was an absolute nightmare. One time, he locked himself in the bathroom and I spent an hour and a half trying to get him out. I finally had to bribe him with ice cream. They refused to listen to anything that I said to them, so I eventually gave up trying to discipline them and we just played the Wii."
Hof-Mahoney worked five days per week for six to eight hours each day.
"The pay was pretty good in the mind of a high-schooler," Hof-Mahoney said. "I made around $150 a week, which, if you look at [it] per hour is (bad), but I thought it was awesome. I felt pretty rich."
Seth McCollough, senior in music education, said his least favorite summer job involved working the concession stand for Auburn City Parks and Recreation.
"It was awful," McCollough said. "We would be there sometimes from 7 a.m. until 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. We got breaks, but that's a long work day."
McCollough said restocking drinks was one of the most strenuous parts of the job.
"I had to keep restocking the stands whenever we ran out of Powerade or anything," McCollough said. "Those cases of drinks aren't light weight at all. We also kept them off-site normally, so I would have to take the van, stock it full of whatever we needed and take it back to the park. I couldn't drive to the concession stand, so I had to trolly everything from the van to the stand. Multiple trips were always involved."
However, not all students considered summer jobs to be so bad.
JT Edmonson, junior in chemical engineering, began his first job this summer.
"I'm working at Target right now, and it's really the only job I've ever had," Edmonson said. "It's actually nice, besides the few ugly interactions [with] mean customers."
McCollough said his favorite summer job was working with his grandfather.
"My best summer job was the summer I spent helping my 78-year-old grandfather, Poppy, do plumbing and electrical work," McCollough said. "I loved working with Poppy, and I learned so much. Now I never have to pay for plumbing or electrical work."
Austin Warren, senior in music education, said his favorite summer job was when he worked as a car mechanic.
"I worked 40-plus hours a week, but I loved every minute of it," Warren said. "I came into the job not really knowing anything about cars, and within a month, [I] knew how to do oil changes, brake repair, engine work, tire changes and so on."
Warren said the job was not a cakewalk, but, like McCollough, he learned from the job.
"It was physically demanding and mentally challenging," Warren said. "I never got bored or complacent with my work. It definitely gave me a set of valuable skills that I can still use to this day."
Hof-Mahoney said working at Panera Bread for five years was her favorite job
Working in the summer is easier than working during the school year, according to Hof-Mahoney.
"It's a lot easier to have a job in the summer because during the school year I have so many commitments and schoolwork that I have to juggle," Hof-Mahoney said. "It really curtails the amount of time that I'm able to work."
Hof-Mahoney said she recommends other students get a summer job.
"It's a great way to make a little extra money and also to add something to your resume," Hof-Mahoney said.
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