Student juggles two jobs and getting a degree

For eight hours each day, Brittany Brewington serves food at Carolina Coffee Shop. Between making coffee and talking to customers, she leafs through her notebooks and works on homework.

Brewington, a first-year at Durham Technical Community College, balances two jobs, working at Carolina Coffee Shop and The Cheesecake Factory. She plans on transferring to UNC after the spring 2016 semester to pursue a degree in the medical field.

She grew up in the Chapel Hill area and attended Carrboro High School with her close friend Lauren Copeland, who also attends Durham Tech. Copeland said Brewington does well managing the stress that comes with working two jobs.

“As long as I’ve known her, she’s worked,” Copeland said. “I’ve never seen her slack off. She’s always there for me, and I really value her friendship.”

Brewington and Copeland became friends during their junior year of high school, which was when Brewington began working.

“I chose to get a job to help my mom out,” Brewington said. “She was struggling a little bit. And then I also like to shop a little — to have some money for myself.”

Having worked for a couple of years, Brewington said she likes being independent.

“It’s a good feeling knowing that I make my own money and don’t have to depend on my parents,” she said. “I got moved up to a server when I turned 18, and I really love it. You know, you just make people happy bringing them food all the time.”

Jeremy Ferry, Carolina Coffee Shop’s manager, said he enjoys working with students like Brewington.

“It gives a nice variety of people. They are typically social, so the customers enjoy hearing what their goals are and interacting with them,” he said. “They are also reliable. They are used to a school schedule, so they can therefore become acclimated to the school-work schedule just as well.”

Brewington said there are still complications that come with working two jobs while pursuing an education.

“It’s hard. Sometimes I’m really tired and don’t want to go to class, but you just have to get over it,” she said.

“I usually don’t have a social life. I normally hang out with my friends maybe once every two weeks. Usually after I get off work at Carolina Coffee Shop, I’m going to my other job or at home baby-sitting my brother.”

Brewington has started taking steps to apply for a transfer to UNC.

“The reason I chose to attend Durham Tech is because I didn’t want to go straight into a university. I wanted a year to calm down,” she said.

Brewington wants to transfer to stay closer to home and her job, and she plans on working the entire time she’s in college.

“I plan on going to medical school, so it’s definitely going to help me get through college,” she said.

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