Anak Muda dan Aktualisasi Diri: Paradoks Sosial Mahasiswa Pekerja Kafe Poppins Jember

Abstract

The phenomenon of students working part-time in cafes shows that there is a dual role dynamic between the academic world and the world of work that gives rise to social paradoxes. Students not only face the demands of lectures, but also economic pressures and the need to form their own identity. This study aims to understand how student workers at Poppins Cafe Jember actualize themselves in the midst of the tension between their roles as students and workers. The research uses a qualitative approach with phenomenological methods. Data were obtained through participant observation, in-depth interviews with five student workers as primary informants and two secondary informants, and documentation. The analysis was carried out through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing using triangulation techniques and using the perspective of Protestant Ethics and the Spirit of Capitalism of Max Weber. The results of the study show that work is interpreted as a moral vocation (Beruf), a means of forming discipline and independence, as well as a space for the formation of identity and social legitimacy. Students develop responsibility, confidence, and interpersonal abilities through work experience. However, the actualization also creates tension because work demands often clash with academic obligations. It was concluded that part-time work is an important arena for the formation of students' identities as well as presenting paradoxes in their academic lives. Keywords: Self-Actualization, Social Paradox, Student Worker, Work Ethics.