The holidays are coming up. There’s the promise of sleeping late, doing absolutely nothing all day and then partying up a storm at night. You’ll finally have the time to catch up on all the series you missed during exams and actually get to read for pleasure again. It’s definitely the light at the end of the academic year.

The thing is, you may get bored after a while. In fact, you may start looking forward to varsity starting again. So, why not get a job? Here are five reasons you should do just that.

Money, duh

Cash always comes in handy. Whether you want to save up to go shopping for second hand cars for sale in Gauteng or simply want some pocket money to have a little fun while in Cape Town, earning a paycheque will come in handy. You probably won’t earn enough to jet off overseas but you’ll definitely have more money than if you just sit at home doing nothing.

You get to meet new people

Whether you choose to work retail or at a restaurant, you’ll meet some interesting characters. And working over the festive season really encourages staff to bond. You’ll learn to rely on each other for support and help during the rush. Even the customers or clients may be worth talking to.

You’ll appreciate your time off more

It’s simple, when you allow yourself to become stagnant, you forget why you like free time so much. But when you’re busy all day, you really appreciate coming home and putting your feet up. You’ll also make plans to have the most fun you can possibly have when you’re not on duty.

It’ll give you a better work ethic

You only learn the value of a hard day’s work when you actually start working. This is the perfect opportunity to acquire a good work ethic. You’ll learn how to deal with a manager, coworkers and stubborn and unpleasant customers. It’ll teach you a thing or two about how to handle difficult situations.

It’s something you can put on your CV

At this point in time you probably don’t have much to put on your CV. Sure, when you graduate you’ll have your degree or diploma to put on there. And any accolades you’ve earned while at university may look good. But nothing proves you’re able to actually work hard than having had a holiday job. It proves you’re willing to put in the hours to earn, even if you’re not earning much.