The common defense of college student working 40 hours per week is that even though studying and social life is hard to compromise, students still need to pay for daily living expenses.

Every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the back room of 54th Street Bar and Grill, where servers prepare for closing time, Park University junior Aaron Bechthold stands with his hands rubbing his eyes from lack of sleep and yawns multiple times.

“Oh my gosh,” Bechthold says, “It is very difficult to balance out life and school. It’s not necessarily work’s fault, what keeps me awake is all the homework.”

He begins to yawn and pulls his arms out and stretches.

“I get about six hours of sleep per night,” he says. “The amount of studying that I get to do to get a decent grade is a lot, so there goes no sleep for me.”

Bechthold expresses his passion for his job with a louder firm voice.

“I like my job a lot, my job pays me good money,” he says, “This is a job that keeps me on my toes and active. I work mainly for rent, gas, and transportation to get back and forth to school.”

Today, most students don’t have the choice to not work while in college – most have to work. Loans aren’t substantial enough to support school and daily expenses.

Bechthold has conquered the mountain of work and study hours and able to mage with a social life.

“I have a small group of friends, so it works for me, so it’s easier to plan to hang out with friends and family,” Bechthold says. “We plan ahead of time because we all have a busy schedule.”

Even though squeezing an overloading work schedule with school is difficult, Bechthold says it will be worth it one day. He is currently studying legal studies and plans on attending law school at the University of Kansas City-Missouri.

“After graduating from law school it will pay off,” he says.

“Hopefully I will get a job at a local firm in Kansas City.”