Just What Does It Take To Be A Lifeguard In College?
Balancing classes, extracurriculars, social involvement, and trying to find time to do your laundry is no small feat. College is an exciting time in life, but it’s also a busy time. It can be tough to stay on top of everything—add into the mix a part-time job and you’re brimming with to-do lists. That being said, not all part-time jobs are stressful. Lifeguarding is a top pick for many college students, and we encourage you to pursue that path if it’s an interest. We gathered some insight on what it takes to be a lifeguard while in college, and not only is it do-able but there are some neat perks that come with this side job.
Planning Makes Perfect
We know what you’re thinking—the phrase is “practice makes perfect.” Yep, that too. But in this case, we’re a little more focused on the planning element. When you’re overwhelmed with things to do, try to budget your time well. You may know that you’re lifeguarding from Monday – Wednesday, so you can plan to study later in the week when you have more free time. Lots of college kids find planners or Google calendars helpful in time management.
View It As a Stress Outlet
Lifeguarding is by no means a form of stress relief. It’s often very on-the-go and you could find yourself in some fast-paced, stressful situations. You are saving lives after all! With that said, try to think of it as a different pressure than your typical academic stresses. View it as work that encourages your peers to have a safe and fun swimming experience, impacts your college community, and allows you to spend time in the sun. It may not provide relief to your school stresses, but it can be an outlet where you can better channel your feelings of being overwhelmed.
And a Few Perks
If you’re juggling several different responsibilities and working as a lifeguard, you deserve major props. It takes hard work and grit to be able to do this! 
Besides the obvious perk of having a cool job, lifeguarding leads to other opportunities down the road. You’ll be part of a community, which is always important in college. Most facilities encourage all of the lifeguards to get to know one another, which could lead to meaningful friendships and bonding over common interests. Finally, you’ll be recognized for your hard work. When the time comes for you to start looking for jobs, you’ll have lifeguarding on your resume. Not only will it show that you’ve made an impact for your school, but you successfully balanced a lot at once. Kudos to you!
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