Tick tock: How to take control of father time and balance the weight of school and work
C.J. Eldridge, News and Features Editor
Attending college and working a job can be a challenge. Some choose to do this, and some have to. There are plenty of tips that can help form a balance between school and work, all the while easing stress and building confidence in your ability to juggle both.
You should first strategize other commitments outside of school. You aren’t just going to your job after. There needs to be time put aside for studying, commuting and regular life activities like laundry and eating. Plan ahead for these things as well.
Driving time and making sure your gas money equals out what you’re paid is another factor. Unless you are working somewhere like Dollar General, the Tigerville Cafe or Nate’s, you’re going to drive at least 20 to 25 minutes to work.
The key to managing all of this is building time management skills and keeping up a calendar. Write down when assignments are due. Set time aside in the day to study for that upcoming test. Know when everything is coming long before it happens.
Joseph Grubb, health science senior, has worked at Chick-fil-a for over six years. He implemented these same principles on a daily basis to balance working full time and attending NGU.
“School needs to be a priority, and then time management outside of that,” he said. “Any time in between, whether it’s 10 minutes or two hours, is when I have to capitalize on that time, whether it’s homework or setting myself up to get something done.”
But off-campus jobs are not the only ones available to students. There are plenty of opportunities on campus to earn money with work study positions and Aramark gigs.
Alicia Hyatt at the NGU Center for Student Success had several suggestions for students looking to work a job.
Hyatt said, “The flexibility that working on campus gives a student outweighs sometimes the pay difference if we’re thinking about part time work for a full time student.”
It’s a lot easier to go to a campus office and say that you really want to go to a cultural event on a work day than going to your manager at Target last minute to get the night off, she said.
Online classes are another consideration. These will also give you more flexibility. You can log in at any time. Hyatt said that some students have transitioned to online courses because of this. More online classes that match what on campus offers are available now more than ever.
“Blackboard makes that easier of course, especially as a lot of our assignments and assessments have been online since COVID,” Hyatt said.
The Center for Student Success has helped many students make the most of their time and stay on top of everything. CSS can be contacted at Center.StudentSuccess@ngu.edu. Their offices are in Averyt/Wood.
The priority should always be school, especially if working is optional for you. Your time at NGU is just a small slice of life–but one that can impact the rest of it. It should always come first.
Should you choose to work, apply these tips to your life and take control of your time. It can be a valuable resource if managed wisely.
