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For most college students, balancing books and a part-time job is reality. Of course, if you cannot bear the thought of spending the next four years asking, "Would you like fries with that?" you'll be happy to know there are several options for cool campus jobs.

1. Library Assistant
Let's face it, you're going to spend the better part of your college career in the library anyway, so why not get paid for it? Mike Cameron, a junior at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, has done just that. As a library assistant, Mike knows where to find books and periodicals ranging from aardvarks to zephyrs. Though he spends his shifts stacking shelves and assisting other college students with computer searches, he says his campus job is pretty cool. "The library works around my schedule and is close to my classes, and I have a lot of time to read for my courses," he says.

2. Campus Tour Guide
Adrienne Losinno, a sophomore at Albright College, Reading, PA, says the coolest thing about her job as a campus tour guide is the opportunity to help a prospective student make his or her college decision. "It's cool to see someone on campus who you gave a tour to and know you helped influence their decision," she says. Besides knowing every nook and cranny of the Albright campus, Adrienne loves her campus job because she gets to meet so many new people.

3. Note-Taker
"It's really cool that I get paid to go to class to do something I'm already doing," says Analiese Vosswinkel, a freshman at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater (UWW), who works as a note-taker for UWW's Disabled Student Services. Analiese goes to her regular classes, takes excellent notes, and brings them back to Disabled Student Services to be photocopied and distributed. "I would definitely recommend my job to others," she says. "I'm helping others get a service they rely on and need."

4. Campus Recreation Worker
Whether you're a physical education major or just a sports fanatic, a job with campus recreation could be your ticket to an action-packed campus job. Just ask Alex Safranski, a graduate of Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA, who worked for campus recreation as a referee for three years. "I got paid to do something I really enjoyed," he says. "It took me anywhere from 20 seconds to three minutes to get to work, and because each sport lasts less than two months, the job never gets monotonous." Sounds like the perfect gig for an aspiring sports star.

5. Campus Post Office Worker
Ben Trick spends all day getting paid to wander around campus -- he delivers mail for the campus post office at the University of Dayton, OH. "I love walking around campus, talking to secretaries, and getting to know different people," he says. Ben says his campus job is cool because he's able to chit-chat with other college students while sorting mail, and he's gotten to know the people and buildings on campus really well.

6. Lab Assistant
Matt Hess, a senior at Wright State University, Dayton, OH, spends his shifts preparing labs for freshman biology students, assisting professors with research, and caring for lab animals. Matt is a laboratory assistant. "It's an excellent opportunity to get letters of recommendation for medical school, and it's nice to work with other college students," he says. In addition to delivering a weekly paycheck, Matt says the coolest thing about his campus job has been discovering the benefits of conducting laboratory experiments and thinking critically.

7. Career Services Assistant
As a career services assistant, Kim Ta, a senior at the University of Portland, OR, says her campus job brings her in direct contact with employers in her field of study. "I'm researching internship opportunities for students and creating a database of contacts," says Kim. "I'm making one-on-one contact with employers and getting an idea of what's out there for me after I graduate." Whether you're ready to launch your career or are simply searching for summer work, a job with career services is sure to give you an edge.

8. Learning Assistant
At the University of California Santa Cruz, senior Jay Kim is getting paid to study. As a learning assistant, Jay leads study groups for students. "I'm reinforcing my own learning," she says. "Plus, I like helping other students." So while she's helping other college students master basic concepts, she's also getting a refresher from her freshman classes. Not only is guaranteed study time bound to improve your grades, it's valuable experience if you desire to work in academics.

9. Research Assistant
Karen Williamson spent the summer of her sophomore year conducting research on school bullying while working as a research assistant in the psychology department at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. "My job was cool because I got to work with kids, and to really learn how academic research works." In addition to distributing questionnaires and analyzing data, she says, "my job taught me a lot about doing literature searches and conducting research" -- skills that are proving valuable as she works toward a master's degree.

10. Switchboard Operator
"I never had the same day twice," says Kristin Brothers, a graduate of the University of Oregon in Eugene. As a switchboard operator, Kristin served as the first point of contact for people calling the university by providing directory assistance to callers. "I talked to great people all day long and it was a lot of fun. I learned excellent phone manners and a lot of phone extensions," she jokes. "It's a great job for anyone who loves the phone and is tuned in to campus events."

The joys of finding a job only a few steps from your dorm room with an employer who willingly offers you time off to study for exams are superseded only by holding the bragging rights for having one of the coolest jobs on campus. So when you get to college, head over to your career services center and ask about a campus job ... it's one of the best ways to put extra cash in your pocket.

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