Awaking in the gloomy basement of Boomer, Paul Lind sacrificed his personal space and the coziness of his own room because he arrived back to campus a week early to work.

Lind normally lives in Schneider Hall, but he was not allowed to re-enter his room until Friday because of break. He paid $9 a day to share a basement room with four other male students.

It was terrible, said Lind, an undecided freshman from Princeton. I should’ve stayed somewhere else.

Advertisement

Lind was one of many SIUC students who came back to campus early to work. Other students who opted to stay home longer were able to relax, work at a job at home, or spend more time with family and friends.

Lind worked at University Bookstore, restocking shelves and ringing up customers who got an early start on the semester. He said cutting his vacation to return to work helped his financial situation, and he even managed to have some fun.

They asked me to come in and work, he said. It was boring at home and there is more to do here, so I didn’t mind coming back. I’m making money here. I’m working almost full-time, and I have a lot more freedom here then I do at home.

Still, Lind’s living arrangements were less than he desired, and he found that his friends had not returned during his work week. But he was able to make new friends if not new living arrangements.

I miss my friends that I usually go out with, he said. But I have been spending more time going out with the people I work with.

Not all students suffered through uncomfortable living arrangements. Erin Ward, a junior in zoology from Loda, returned to her Carbondale apartment a week early, and worked at the Recreation Center as an Information Center Supervisor.

Ward enjoys her job, and said loyalty to her job was the main factor in her early return.

Advertisement*

My boss is expecting a baby and she will be taking her maternity leave, she said. So I came back early to prepare for her being gone. We all work as a team, and you know your responsibilities and follow through with doing your job.

Ward’s job was made easier because many students had not yet returned to campus. Few people used the Rec Center, and Ward was able to relax because she did not have to attend classes.

You know all you have to do is work, she said. You don’t have to worry about going home and studying for a test. It is a lot less stressful.

Unlike Lind, Ward spent most of her time alone in her apartment watching movies. She also prepared for classes.

There was nothing going on at home, she said, but none of my friends are back yet and it’s kind of lonely. I missed school.

But overall, cutting break short to work was a positive experience for both Lind and Ward. Like Lind, Ward was able to bond with her co-workers while most students were bonding with their friends and families at home.

There are less people here to spend time with, she said, but I have had the time to get to know the people I work with better.