by EMILY MELTON
Lifestyles Editor
 
In need of extra cash and unable to apply for steady jobs because of busy schedules, many students turn to odd jobs, which require less commitment and varying skills.

“I’ve done all kinds of [things], from tearing out attics to doing electrical work, lots of yard work, weed-eating, tree removal to changing oil at houses,” senior computer science major Aaron C. Brewbaker said.

Shortly after moving off campus, Brewbaker settled in a house owned by a Boone rental company.

Pinched for money, he asked his landlord for help, and for the past five years, the company has used Brewbaker as an on-call handyman.

“It started out like that, just yard, labor, [things] anyone can do, and I slowly built up, doing more and more,” Brewbaker said.

Because he is paid by the company and relies not on the cash he would receive if self-employed, it has been easier for Brewbaker to maintain a steady income despite the economic strain.

“It can be stressful when you need ‘X’ amount of money and you have to go out and find ‘X’ amount of work,” Brewbaker said. “It’s kind of similar to a full-commission sales job; there’s unlimited potential but at the same time, if things don’t fall into place, you’re going to be hurting.”

The upcoming seasonal change, however, may affect the amount of work available.

After all the lawns are mowed and leaves are raked, Brewbaker said outdoor work becomes minimal, supplemented with random repairs, which “don’t really come a lot.”

Thomas “Keaton” Mash, sophomore pre-professional biology major, owns a small-scale lawn mowing business with his brother.

The pair works for people they know: friends, relatives and fellow church members, and Mash said the economy has played a role in the lives of some of his customers.

“In some cases, they’ll have me hold a check until a certain day, which, you know, that could [have happened] three years ago, but it’s more prevalent now,” Mash said. “It doesn’t really bother me; I know that they’ll end up getting the money to me sometime, sooner or later, and we’re all in the same boat.”

When the weather turns cold, Mash will help operate his grandfather’s Christmas tree farms in Ashe County and Virginia, a business his grandfather has been in for over 30 years.

Renee M. Pontillo, senior history secondary education major, works weekends with her grandmother, cleaning houses that are on the market to be sold.

The first time the houses are cleaned, Pontillo said they charge, on average, anywhere from $275 to $400, depending on the amount of work required and the size of the house.

While the houses remain on the market, Pontillo charges $100 dollars each month they re-clean them.

Because of this, the housing market has a direct effect on Pontillo’s business.

“There were a lot of houses staying on the market that weren’t selling that we kept cleaning, but we’ve seen it pick up lately,” Pontillo said. 

Teressa H. Hollars, Career Development administrative support associate, facilitates Appalachian State University’s online odd job mailing list, sent to students who sign up to receive messages alerting them of available jobs.

When community members call or e-mail her with requests, and she sends the message out that the jobs are first come, first serve.

“Sometimes I can put it on and an hour later they’ll be calling me telling me it’s taken,” Hollars said. “It’s like people are sitting there watching for those e-mails to come.”

Stephanie Hickey, Career Development coordinator, used the mailing list when she needed help moving furniture.

Seconds after the job was posted, the position was filled.

“If you are on that list and receiving the e-mails about odd jobs and you see something you want, reply immediately, because they go quick, they go really quick,” Hickey said. “They’re not glamorous jobs, but they pay, and it’s pocket money and it can tie you over.”

Hickey has recently seen an increase in the amount of students who want to work the jobs, but not as many people who need the work done. 

“It’s hard,” she said. “There are not that many jobs available right now; in the community, on campus…the budget impacts we’ve had as a state have absolutely impacted [Appalachian] and there aren’t as many student temp positions available as there were last year.

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