The Life of a Student
The Life of a Working Student
Hello and welcome back to the Life of a Student! With exams quickly approaching, everybody at Hogwarts is very busy! I know I’ve been busy, so I was curious to see how other students with jobs were faring. I talked to three students who are in three different jobs to get their perspective on being a working student. I would like to thank Lexi Bautista, Hailey Avenne, and Lara Withers for doing interviews and giving me a glimpse into your amazing lives.
To begin, I would like to give some clarification about the jobs that these students hold. Lexi is a writer for the Daily Prophet. Writers like Lexi are also known as salmons. Hailey is an assistant teacher (AT) for Muggle Studies. ATs are also known as fleks. Lara is part of the backstory team, a job also known as smurfs.
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Me: Is this your first job or have you had others? If so, which ones?
Lexi: Being a journalist for the Daily Prophet is my first job. I've never been anything else but a salmon … I became one after a week. And I've been a salmon since. :))
Hailey: I actually used to be a boysen! I loved that job, and I wrote my blog series 'Student ID: Creature' which I was very very proud of!
Lara: This is my first job on the site!
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Me: How do you balance your job with your schoolwork?
Lexi: Hmm... time management? Well actually it's mostly a combination of staying up late and coffee but yes, I do not recommend that. DON'T follow my lead. It is quite unhealthy. DO plan your time well and in advance so you're not left rushing and putting out mediocre work. Do not procrastinate coming from the master procrastinator, never turns out well.
Hailey: I always prioritise my job over my schoolwork - and I know that approach won't please many people. That's because it wouldn't work for many people, but it does for me. Education is something I would never be able to push aside, which is exactly why I do it last. My job is something I could easily convince myself to put off after a long night of studying, so I get that done first before my schoolwork, because I know that is the best way to avoid motivational issues. It makes sense to me.
Lara: It’s always tricky to find your footing when you first start out with something new. When I first got the job, I completely ignored my schoolwork to do job assignments! This wasn’t too fun, since I was no longer earning house points and even fell down in the rankings! I forced myself to make a schedule so that I could dictate my time better. Time-management skills are key in finding a balance between anything. When I plan my weeks now, I allot time on specific days for schoolwork and for my job. For instance, I might decide that on Monday I will do my potions and transfiguration homework, another two classes on Tuesday, and so on. For my job, I designate three days during the week to get it done: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If I get all of my classwork done during the weekdays, the weekends are open for me to work without worrying about falling behind. This way, I can get both done in an orderly fashion with no stress!
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Me: What have you learned from having a job here?
Lexi: From having a job here, I have learned responsibility and using creativity in a disciplined way. By having a job, it comes with certain tasks and responsibilities one must do. So I've learned to at least try and go through with those responsibilities. I am quite aware of my own slowness when it comes to writing. What matters is that I still persevere to put out my best work because it's my job though it may be hard to do at a certain time.
Hailey: Having a job here has definitely been a good experience. I think I've learnt and experienced a pretty important concept for when I get older, and that is working hard and being rewarded for it. I've definitely built my work ethic, which will be a valuable skill in the future. There's also an element of responsibility - as a Ravenclaw, I like education. My job is basically taking care of other student's assignments, so yes, to me it is a massive responsibility! I love my job and the skills and values it's taught me. I think applying was one of the best decisions I've made.
Lara: Having a student job has taught me that it’s okay to ask for help. Most of the student jobs exist to create a more enjoyable experience for all students. We are literally here to help! When I first joined Hogwarts, I was so scared to ask questions, thinking that the older students might judge me for not knowing what I was doing. But I quickly realized that no one here is looking to make fun of anyone. We are all here for the same thing: to learn and meet new people. This is a lovely community where everyone is safe to speak up and encouraged to ask for help when needed. I’m sure I would have learned this without getting a job, but it definitely helped me realize sooner.
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Me: Can you give us a glimpse into what it’s like to be a salmon (Lexi)/smurf (Lara)/flek (Hailey)? What is your process for writing articles/writing backstories? What is the most important part of being a flek?
Lexi: Oh boy. Disclaimer, this is how I write articles not how other salmons do. Without further ado, let me introduce you to the rollercoaster that is me writing articles. First, I come up with the idea. This entails a little bit of research if needed or sometimes an idea pops in my head randomly, ending with me rushing to write it down so I don't forget. Then I pitch my idea to my Chief Editor, Aleksander Havich (great guy) who will then tell me if I need to revise my pitch a little and approve it to start writing. Then I research more closely for the article, really looking through resources. Then I write sporadically when I have outbursts of creativity and such. I will be the first to admit that I am not the best with deadlines. There are times where I truly hate my writing and cry a little because I really want to put my best work out there and I believe what I'm writing isn't the best work I want it to be. But eventually, I make myself suck it up and just write, editing after. Holding my breath as I submit the article for review and final editing, I let out a sigh of relief, happy with what I put out. Happy that I have written something. Then it's published in like about 1-2 days (at least in my experience) and I rinse and repeat this whole process again. While this may sound quite harsh I suppose. I truly do love writing for everyone here and for myself. It makes me really happy to be able to write for the Prophet, to even have the chance to.
Hailey: Being a flek... is like being part of a very lovely group of grading lovers. That's because that is 100% what it is, so that was a very bad metaphor. It can be hard work, and sometimes when it is late and you're tired you sit wondering why on earth you decided to apply for the job. But it's awesome, so you never truly regret it. The most important part of a flek for me is giving every little detail an equal amount of attention. Not just any amount actually, a very good amount. You need to put as much effort into the first piece of homework you grade for the night to the last. That is vital. Another important part is being open and friendly, so students can come to you and ask questions!
Lara: As a smurf (a member of the backstory team), I’m expected to review 20 users every week. This includes checking if a user is active, if they have a profile text and backstory, and, if they do, I must check if they follow all the rules and guidelines. It also entails monitoring the chat, just in case anyone needs help with their backstories. For backstories, I believe my process is simple but thorough. If I were to break the process down into steps it would be to focus on the parents, then childhood, and finally important life events. I like to work in chronological order, since it provides an easy timeline that I can frame the character’s life on. Creating a solid base through the parents’ history is essential for establishing a realistic and interesting character. Once the parents’ history is sorted out, I like to think about the character’s early childhood and any important events, such as their first magical experience, that help shape their development. When writing these events, it’s crucial to think about what traits you want your character to have. If you want your character to be sly and cunning, perhaps their first magical experience helped them get away with something they did? Actions can really solidify the personality traits of your character. Once I have an idea of their early childhood, I then like to address any recent events that help shape the character’s emotions and behavior. Did they recently lose a family member? Or win a contest? Maybe make some new friends, or lose old ones? What could have happened to justify any emotional turmoil or happiness they are feeling? If you can’t think of anything at first, don’t worry! Something will surely come to you if you walk away for a little bit. Though, the backstory team is always willing to help with brainstorming or writing if you’re struggling! Finally, I want to add that writing a backstory is an individual process. Yes, you can get help from others, but it is also a time where you get to know your character in depth. Think of writing your backstory as having a conversation with the character you’ve created.
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Thank you for reading and I hope that you enjoyed the small glimpse into the lives of these working students! If you’d like to learn more about the various jobs on the site, check out the blog I Can See in Color by the lovely Carina Scamander!
If you'd like to see your life as a student featured here send me an owl and we can set up an interview!
| This blog was written with love by: Banhi Patil |
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