While most students spend free time hanging out with friends, there are others who work while completing their education.

For the past three years, sophomore Justin Holby has taught children, from 3 to 8 years old, to ski at Seven Springs Mountain Resort.

He has been skiing since he was in middle school, he said.

“I originally started working for the free season pass and to have some spending money,” Holby said.

Holby said he enjoys teaching children because nothing is better than seeing a kid playing outside and having fun.

While Holby has taught kids how to ski, sophomore T.J. Howard has tutored first-grade students since last semester at West Side Elementary school in Johnstown.

Howard said she had started tutoring because she’s an education major.

By tutoring, she said she is able to make a difference in children’s lives.

“It’s difficult sometimes because the kids don’t understand (the lessons) and it takes a lot of explaining. It’s hard to come up with different ways to explain the same thing over and over again,” Howard said.

Howard added that it may be difficult at times, but it’s rewarding when she is able to see the improvement her students make because of her help.

Holby also finds his job on the slopes rewarding, he said.

“The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the excitement from a kid who just stopped or turned for the first time. Nothing can beat that,” Holby said.

While some have jobs working with children, others work in an office with adults.

Freshman Zoey Gailey has worked in the Student Union’s Residence Life Office since the beginning of this semester.

Gailey said she wanted to work there because of the atmosphere and the opportunity to interact with a variety of people.

Gailey is in charge of greeting people, answering phone calls and selling movie tickets, she said.

She added it’s not difficult for her to balance her work and education.

“It’s not as hard as I thought it would be,” Gailey said.

She said it’s nice being able to work on campus.

“After I (have) completed all of my work in the office, I am sometimes able to do some of my school work.”

Gailey added that working also helped her with time-management skills.

“I’ve found I procrastinate less because I know I have less time available to get (work) done than I did before I had this job,” Gailey said.

While it’s easy for Gailey to manage work and school because of her job, Holby — an engineering major — said it’s a challenge for him.

“When I’m not skiing, almost all of my time is devoted to school,” Holby said.

Although it’s a challenge, Holby said it’s worth it.

“I get to share my passion with the next generation of kids and get them excited about the sport.”