During the summertime students endure the engrossing struggle of deciding whether to work or attend school. Most choose to either work part-time and attend school full-time or perhaps work full-time and attend school part-time, but Rio Hondo student Bryan Marquez has vowed to the commitment of keeping a full-time job and taking 12 units at Rio Hondo this fall semester as a full-time student as well.

Marquez is 19 years old entering his 3rd semester at Rio Hondo. During the summertime he left his previous job for the reasons of receiving very few hours to accept working full-time at his uncle’s Foam Factory that is family owned.

Approaching the semester, Marquez faced an important decision on how many classes he was going to take or whether he should even attend school at all. Ultimately Marquez held nothing back and registered for a full-time schedule at Rio Hondo.

By no means will this semester be close to easy as Marquez faces a restless schedule of school and work sunrise to sundown Monday through Friday. He wakes up at 5 am to go to work at the foam factory from 6:30 am to 3 pm, then goes to school for his evening classes Monday through Friday.

When asked what will be the key to a successful semester, Marquez said that being well rested so that he’s not tired for school and work is what’s most important at the moment.

For committing to such a hectic and restless schedule, Marquez was asked what keeps him motivated and he stated that he knows he has to finish school in order to be successful and being able to help his parents by being one less financial liability they have to worry about is what keeps him going.

Marquez doesn’t live on his own so some may ask if it is even necessary for him to be working a full-time job when school is the main priority at the moment but Marquez says that he has expensive taste and there is no better feeling than buying nice things with his own hard earned money. So if he’s willing to put in the time to support to his expensive taste then more power to him.

One of the biggest benefits to partaking in both full-time work and school Marquez claims is the opportunity to experience both without either of the two interfering with each other because of how well he has made his schedule.

It seems that Marquez won’t have much time for fun this semester as Monday through Friday will consist of strictly school and work while weekends will likely consist of homework, but it is a grind Marquez is willing to commit to.

Marquez is still undecided on his major taking mainly general ed courses at the moment though he claims that transferring out is the biggest priority to him right now and he is open to plenty different majors.