It can be a challenge to balance work with college life. I know because I am one of them. For this week’s entry, I will be giving out my view on how to successfully balance these two commitments while still being able to have a social life.
Here is a list of steps of what you should do to make this balance work.
- Prioritize your work and school schedule.
- Add your commute within your schedule.
- Set your study schedule. Make sure you put in at most 2 hour study sessions for one block. (ex. 9:00-11:00, 1:00-3:00).
- Take a day off from work and classes to run weekly errands or housework.
- Add sleep in your schedule. 7-8 hours a night is recommended.
- Add in the times that you go out with your friends.
Important to Take Note Of
It is important to note that there are 168 hours a week and about a third of these hors should be devoted to sleep. This means that there are 119 hours left assuming that you put in eight hours a sleep per night. When you are in school during the fall and winter semester, try to only work 10-15 hours a week. Working and studying full time can be very hard to come by because you will not have enough time to study, and you feel very tired. While it is possible to work full time and study part time, it is very important that you put in your education first if you want to reach your academic goals.
Form a Study Group
It might be a good idea to pair up with a few people from your classes and form study sessions together. The best place to do so would be in the school library. It is because the library is a very convenient place to get work done. If your school library has group study rooms, be sure to book them. Make sure that the time is convenient for most of the group.
Avoid Late Night Cram Sessions
Although it is tempting to pull an all nighter, and cram for an exam, it is not a good idea to do so. If you pull an all nighter, you will end up feeling very tired the next day, and you will have a hard time concentrating on work or school. It is best to stick with your weekly routine, and if possible, ask your boss for time off around midterms and finals so you can catch up on studying or finishing off your term paper.
Life Events Beyond Your Control
Now of course balancing life and work will vary depending on the week. There can be “life bombs” (sickness, car accident, death in the family) that can derail your schedule. However, if you have to miss something important like a deadline or an exam, you will need to bring in documentation to prove that a “life bomb” had happened. It can be a pain to get the documentation but it is necessary so you don’t get penalized.
I hope these strategies has helped you. Come back next Monday as I discuss gender roles and how the gender role has changed in society.
Until next week, take care and thanks for reading.
Robert Toto
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