The "cash-strapped college student" isn't just some cliche that's tossed around in countless movies and TV shows or that's used as a dire attempt to pad the wallet during a trip back home. It is, unfortunately, a very real plight.

What will students resort to for money? My worst job thus far may have been teaching a bunch of old ladies tennis the summer after freshman year. It doesn't sound too bad, but keep in mind the amount of tennis balls that were flying dangerously close to, well, you know where. Here are some other students' worst job experiences ever.

Sally, University of Virginia senior

Two summers ago, I worked at a stationery store about 10 minutes from my house. Besides getting prank-called almost every day and barely seeing a customer under the age of 35, the work was incredibly, incredibly boring. A whole summer, trapped inside a papeterie, working for minimum wage = hell. And did I mention the prank calls?

Tara, George Mason University senior

I've had a couple of awful jobs. The summer before entering GMU, I worked at a local pie shop, where the owner was a legitimate nut job. She cursed at the employees on a daily basis and had a really bad case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. When I got to school, I spent two years working as a barista in a student cafe. With all the rich kids barking orders and dishing out complaints, I felt less like a college student and more like a 55-year-old Denny's waitress.

Robbie, University of Virginia sophomore

Last summer, I worked for the U.S. government digging ditches. Let me emphasize that point: Digging. Ditches. There aren't really words to describe how bad it was. But, hey, now I can afford to go on spring break to the Dominican Republic, so it was worth it.

Veronica, Virginia Polytechnic Institute senior

Before I transferred to Virginia Tech, I went to Coastal Carolina University near Myrtle Beach, where there are a million trashy chain restaurants and where it's really easy for college girls like me to get hired. I somehow endured almost two years of greasy bikers, rambunctious frat boys and old, fat men hitting on me. But the tips were out of this world!

Katie, James Madison University junior

I lasted two days as a dog sitter last semester. My first two clients were a pair of pit bulls, and halfway through their first walk of the day they chased down an innocent person on the street advertising a car wash. I apologized profusely, and two days later hung up the leashes for good. That was the toughest 100 bucks I've ever had to earn.

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