Should I keep my job as a waiter while going to college?

Question

Here's my problem:

I've worked at a great restaurant for about two years now. I'm 22 and I just got accepted to Emory University after working full time and getting good grades at a community school for a year. I'm really excited about the new year, and I need help deciding what to do.

The FACTs:

I'm a waiter at a high-end steakhouse and I make "decent-to- really good" tips each shift (five nights a week). Some awesome nights I make $200, but the normal is around $100/ night. Note- sometimes I'm in the smoking section and make like $27.

Emory is a great school- AND much HARDER than the community college where I got a 4.0.

I want to make straight A's in school so I get a great job when I graduate.

I've been thinking about quitting my job (costly, I know) so that I will have plenty of time to study, make friends, have fun while I'm still young.- SHOULD I QUIT and enjoy the best years of my life, or SHOULD I SUCK IT UP, be a man, and work my *** off to balance my time, but also build up a nest egg for when I graduate???????

Answer 1

Work 2 nights a week.  That way you'll have time to study and time for friends and not be broke!

Answer 2

A lot of full-time students work part-time jobs.  Just ask your restaurant to reduce your days and hours to just two evenings per week. That way, you always have money coming in.  When the school year ends you can then work at the restaurant full-time for the summer.

I know one friend, a full-time journalism student, who works as a waitress for a local temp agency that specializes in hospitality.  She works parties and other catering functions for two days per week during the school year, but works full-time as a waitress each summer.