In this modern era, it would be a lie to say that education is cheap. Both students and parents, tend to invest great amounts into education. This means that many might struggle when it comes to their finances. Therefore, more and more students nowadays will pick up part-time jobs while studying. Leading students to feel burnt out and stressed, especially if they are earning money to pay off a student loan, to ease their parents’ financial burden, or perhaps to simply support themselves.
The first thing working students should do is talk to your employers. It is important for them to be aware that you are still studying, and that your studies will come first in terms of priorities. Besides that, it is also vital for your employers to be understanding of your situation as well as your schedule. For instance, your employers may allow you to work in a hybrid mode, or if possible, work from home. This would allow students to not only cut costs on travel expenses, but it would also allow students to attend classes while working part-time. It is vital that students find the right employer who is understanding enough to allow a flexible working schedule. If working from home is not an option, plan for days that require full commitment to work. This is to ensure the work-study schedule is more balanced.
Students should also try to pick a job that they would most likely enjoy doing. Working a job you dislike would only add more worries, especially since students already have to deal with the workload from assignments and examinations. Having a job that you dislike would also cause you to feel unhappy.
Though you might be earning money, in the long run, you would only feel burnt out. Keep in mind that there are an endless number of opportunites out there when it comes to finding employers who are willing to hire students. It is simply a matter of putting yourself out there and taking a chance.
Furthermore, students must be able to ensure that they can balance work and studies. Having to do two things at the same time requires an immense amount of commitment, discipline as well as planning. In this case, students must have good time management. If students are able to plan their days out, not only will they be able to convince their employers to grant them flexibility, but it would also allow students to implicitly prove their dedication to the company. It may sound rather overwhelming, but having to work part-time while studying does sometimes mean sacrificing some breaks as well as holidays. Use your free time as productively as possible, but also know when to take a break. After all, everyone needs to have a bit of fun from time-to-time.
Now, the question of when working students should relax comes into play. The first thing students must realise is that everyone needs to rest in order to put their best foot forward towards their work. Of course, working while studying does mean that stress is almost impossible to avoid, thus, students have to find a way to release their emotions healthily. For instance, students can join some clubs in the university, go out with friends when the deadlines are met, or perhaps even talking to the ones you love will make you feel better. Engage in enjoyable activities such as sports, dancing, reading or a simple stroll in the park. Students must also remember that the university’s counsellor will always be there as an option. It is strongly advised for students to consult the university’s counsellor or support services whenever they are feeling incredibly overwhelmed.
There are also other options for students to consider when it comes to saving some money, so don’t overthink things. It is important for students to enjoy their university life to the absolute fullest. You are a student once, and only once. Perhaps students could also consider applying for scholarships to save some money. Talking to an education advisor, such as MABECS, would be helpful in this aspect. It would allow students to see a wider perspective as well as receive some advice which could come in handy for the future.
Lastly, don’t let life’s hardships knock you down. Working and studying at the same time is no easy task, so be proud of yourself for even considering that option. Take things one step at a time, and everything will fall into place even if it doesn’t seem like it at the moment. Most of all, work hard, play hard, and simply just do your best.