People have all sort of jobs on campus here at Notre Dame. I have had a couple of different jobs in my four years here. As you probably realize, I work in the Office of Admissions, but I also work in The Snite Museum of Art. There I have two roles, I work at the visitors’ desk and taking pictures for special events that occur in the museum.
It was hard for me to finally find a second job I enjoyed. I worked at Rec Sports as a soccer referee, but as soon as playoffs started, my job got exponentially more stressful and less fun. Then I spent two years working in different cafes on campus. It worked with my class schedule, but preparing sandwiches became old really quickly. It wasn’t until the beginning of senior year when one of my friends hooked me up with the Museum of Art. I had gone to The Snite a couple of times for class and out of free will, and I knew it seemed like a fantastic venue to work (and study in the down times).
Soon after I started, my job became another place in where I would be challenged in a different way than the classroom. I obviously had a monetary incentive, but the environment sparked my interest in the available exhibitions, and in no time, I could talk about the different pieces to the multiple visitors. I got to talk to lost freshmen, bored seniors, whole classes, visiting alumni during football games, and anxious prospective students (maybe I have talked to you!) about the art, and my favorite collections. Without noticing I was reading and investigating as if I was in class, but you know, without the tedious part and the stress that comes with it.
I have to say that interacting with people is one of my favorite aspects of the job. In a good way, it makes me forget I am a student. It might sound counterintuitive, but it breaks the cycle of classes and homework. There are always interesting people visiting and random events happening. I don’t really know if all desk jobs at ND are like mine, but I believe that there are multiple opportunities on campus with all sort of benefits you might enjoy.