What to do over summer as between degrees

OpenToSuggestions · 13 May 2011 at 21:59

Hey all.

I finish University in June, graduate in July and the PhD doesn't start until October.

I have a career break ending at Tesco at uni but this is a 35 mile, 45 minute drive from home, so commuting to work there in a an aging Micra probably isn't the best idea.

I have turned down assessment days and a decent job offer so I haven't got issues with getting graduate work, but since I accepted the PhD all summer jobs at engineering companies have gone so I am a bit stuck with what to do.

Do you think the job centre would be of any use?
I don't mind doing donkey work for a few months at all.

I would like to work and would like to save up some money towards a new car. Travelling is not an option as I want to save money not spend it!

J.B · 13 May 2011 at 22:15

Probably head to the job centre and some employment agents. There must be some warehouse jobs or something like that going for a couple of months

wannabedamned · 13 May 2011 at 22:16

Yeah, Look for warehouse work. Always easy to jump into.

Or supermarket work

Randomface74 · 13 May 2011 at 22:18

Do some rubbish temp work.

godinman · 13 May 2011 at 23:21

Just do naff all.

Greenlizard0 · 13 May 2011 at 23:49

I'm going to, only half jokingly, suggest gay web cam whoring:

Pros:

*work from home
*high rate of pay
*work the hours you want
*time to keep up with the studies
*don't have to travel
*remain as anonymous as you want

Cons:

*high cost in viagra/tissues.

godinman · 13 May 2011 at 23:53

I guess there would be some anal play involved also, as most of your clients would be men with repressed homosexual desires, so sort yourself out some decent lube and ass soothing balm.

Van Hellseek · 13 May 2011 at 23:54

Go with travelling - saving up some money is just a pipe dream. You'll spend your money travelling, or you'll stay here with good intentions and end up spending it in wetherspoons instead.

And you say it's for a new car, which suggests you already have a car, so it can't be that urgent.

manveruppd · 14 May 2011 at 00:04

If you're starting a PhD this may be the last summer of your life man!

Save money by zonking out at home, play videogames all day, and not shaving for 3 months! Just be the laziest bum ever, last chance you're gonna get! Alternatively, buy a ticket to some place warm and spend 3 months sleeping on a beach. With luck you could even get some bartending work so you won't have to subsist on 99p burgers during that time!

Nanoman · 14 May 2011 at 00:19

godinman said:
I guess there would be some anal play involved also, as most of your clients would be men with repressed homosexual desires, so sort yourself out some decent lube and ass soothing balm.

+1. You'd need to have some experience/be extremely prepared for something like this, it's not as easy to walk into as it sounds. Once you've established yourself though there is a hell of a lot of money to be made!

godinman · 14 May 2011 at 00:20

I reckon if I was single I'd give it a go, anal can't be that bad really, can it?

Nix · 14 May 2011 at 00:30

Six posts. I'm impressed.

iviv · 14 May 2011 at 00:32

godinman said:
I reckon if I was single I'd give it a go, anal can't be that bad really, can it?

Its a pain in the ass.

http://instantrimshot.com/classic/?sound=rimshot

Rameses · 14 May 2011 at 00:32

make sweet love.

Megahurtz400 · 14 May 2011 at 00:34

Van Hellseek said:
Go with travelling - saving up some money is just a pipe dream. You'll spend your money travelling, or you'll stay here with good intentions and end up spending it in wetherspoons instead.

And you say it's for a new car, which suggests you already have a car, so it can't be that urgent.

Baaaahaha, this is my life D:

OpenToSuggestions · 14 May 2011 at 01:25

Some good and some funny replies so far!

The car is a 2000 Micra but I have had at 6 years in Sept and just kept it as its never broken down. I have bared with the crapness of it and no aircon etc but just want something better. It is certainly a want though, not a need.

I will offer my parents board if I go back home for the summer and just want to get say 20-40 hours to work and get some money, even if it is boring and braindead work.

If I just go home and don't work I will be moping about with no money to do anything and just palying games all day. Right now with my final engineering exams just around the corner it sounds brilliant but I know it will soon wear thin.

I am hoping to commute to Tesco at uni (my home store is ******* useless) but a long sunday shift at £75 minus £8 fuel and car wear is pointless I may as well be on job seekers.

Amp34 · 14 May 2011 at 14:20

Gotta agree with the travelling lot, doesn't have to be expensive either. Could get a WHV and head to OZ for 3 months (although that's sort of a waste of a WHV) and make some money over there or do some volunteering. Avoid the big student style companies and contact the actual charities and it costs little more than an airfair for a month or 3s work.

EDIT: I assume your PhD is funded? In which case there isn't that much need for you to have to make money.

OpenToSuggestions · 22 Jun 2011 at 23:10

Hey all - I have an update.

I have re-told my situation to prevent re-reading the whole thread.

I have just finished my undergraduate degree and a PhD that starts 3rd Oct.

I have a Sub-Warden position offered and accepted, so come September I have a free flat, free bills and my weekday meals are free. I also get the PhD fees paid and get just over £1000 a month in study allowance. Plenty of money to get by.

Now the summer - I can work at the Tesco here (written a letter to come back from my career break). Home is 35 miles away so commuting a 70 mile round trip is not worth it just for a Sunday in a 10 year old micra - 70quid for a one-day-a week job is not worth it - I may as well be a dolie.
I can do some pre-PhD work at the University over the summer (same distance as Tesco as it is literally next to the Uni), however in September I will have some training days for the Sub Warden position. I could do Tesco (which has yet to be sorted) as well as the University work.

Or I could just take it easy at home and look for work locally. I have a few thousand left to get me through the summer.

Parents are concerned that the old car won't fare well, however theres nothing broken or on its way out and the tyres are decent. Working Mon-Fri at the uni and then Tesco on the Sunday would be 420 miles a week but then perhaps I could stay in a student house near the uni.

Now I know that my short-term future is set, I again ask OCUK for advice

Van Hellseek · 23 Jun 2011 at 00:04

mglover070588 said:
I have a few thousand left to get me through the summer.

Plane. SEA. Problem solved. Get on it.

iraiguana · 23 Jun 2011 at 00:31

If you are serious about working at the uni and tescos for a total of 6 days a week and get paid for all of it then get a temporary rental place sorted and live at uni over the summer.

Most people would want a break before they start an epic 3-4 year project which will be possibly the most stressful thing you ever undertake. Some don't care, so do whatever makes you happy as now would be a great time to go away somewhere exotic and live it up.