Conference Opportunity

As I have stated, I am currently a full-time student. My major is in Communications, specifically Radio/Television. April 16-17th I have an opportunity to attend a Broadcasting Conference with my University.

The problem is the conference is four hours away and there is no guarentee that I will be back in time in order to be at work on time. The day we are coming back is a Friday, basically a mandatory work night for me (I am a bartender).

I could tell my boss that I will be coming in about an hour late - but I would hate to not be back in time to be at work at the time I said I would be. I could take the night off, but Friday nights are a big money night and I would be losing potentially 300-400 dollars to take the night off for the conference.

There is no cost to attend the conference. Hotel, meals, fees and travel expenses are all paid by the University.

Attending the conference has a lot of benefits as well. Networking, for one. This is not a University/College conference - it is a National Broadcasting conference. It offers a unique opportunity to attend seminars with people who actually work in the industry - thus helping making a first impression of myself before sending out a resume. (I should be graduating next Spring, so I am not too far out from looking for employment.)

It is an opportunity I really do not want to pass up, but I also do not want to lose income.

I will talk to my boss this evening and see if we can work out a situation in which I can either work an extra shift to make up for the losses if I take the night off, or if she will be alright with my coming into work two hours later than usual. I am trying to have my cake and eat it too right now, but I am pretty sure I am going to have to choose either keeping the cake or eating it.