In an ideal world, studying full time would be treated like a job. Your living expenses would be covered (even as an undergraduate) and you wouldn’t have to worry about how you’re going to feed yourself towards the end of every month.
However, that’s not the world we live in and many students have to take on a part-time job to supplement their income. But how do you balance the responsibilities of your studies with the demands of your job? Well, here are a couple of ideas.
Find a job that fits
If you’re a morning person and your classes don’t start until noon, waitering at a popular coffee shop in the morning could be ideal. If the opposite is true, you could waitress at a restaurant at night. While bartending seems like the perfect job for a student, avoid weekday shifts. It’s perfect for Friday and Saturday nights because you can spend the next morning sleeping but you don’t want to be fatigued during the week when you’re attending lectures.
Another approach to finding a part-time job is to look for one that uses the skills you’re currently acquiring through your studies. For example, find an internship at a tech startup if you’re taking computer courses. Internships don’t pay much, but they give you great experience.
Live according to a strict schedule
You can’t afford to go wherever the wind blows you when you’ve classes all day and you’re working at night. You need to have a strict schedule. You can’t blow off your study session to go hang with friends because you won’t be able to make that time up. You also need to make sure you have sufficient time to sleep because it’s incredibly important for your brain to rest.
Of course, none of this means you shouldn’t have fun. You also need to pencil in time for friends and relaxation. Unfortunately, you can’t be spontaneous about it. You’ll have to make plans in advance so you know you still have time to study for that test before your shift starts.
It is possible to manage studying full time and working a part-time job. Many people do it. You just have to smart about it and plan ahead.