I want to request my weekends off from work to march drum corps?

[Anonymous]

I work for a customer service line for a bank in NYC. It’s full time Monday-Friday with an occasional weekend or two thrown in (8+ hours of overtime) every month. I have a HUGE passion for color guard/drum corps and I really want to get back into it. The problem is that I need to have my weekends available to pursue marching again. I want to ask my boss if I could have my weekends free so I can march drum corps and winter guard again. I feel bad about it because I’ll be the only one on my team with free weekends (if approved) and that’s not fair to my coworkers. But it’s not like I’m requesting my weekends off just to chill and relax. Drum corps is hard work physically and mentally. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to leave my job but I also don’t want to miss out on this opportunity… Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

It's understandable that you have a passion for color guard/drum corps and want to pursue it on the weekends. Here are some tips for requesting time off from work:

1. Be upfront and honest: Schedule a meeting with your boss or supervisor and explain your passion for color guard/drum corps and your desire to march on the weekends. Be honest about the time commitment and the impact it may have on your work schedule.

2. Be flexible: If possible, offer to work extra hours during the week to make up for the time you'll miss on the weekends. This can help show your commitment to your job and your willingness to compromise.

3. Plan ahead: If you're able to plan ahead, give your boss plenty of notice so they can make arrangements to cover your responsibilities on the weekends you'll be marching.

4. Offer to help: If your boss is hesitant to approve your request, offer to help find a solution or to help train someone to cover your responsibilities while you're away.

Remember, it's important to be respectful and understanding of your coworkers and the impact your request may have on them. However, it's also important to pursue your passions and find a balance between work and personal interests. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I understand that. You should pursue your passions, but if it's a requirement to work an occasional weekend, you may need to work around that. I'm sure other people that work with you have similar activities they want to do on weekends too. No harm in asking, but be prepared.