The Balance Between Study & Money

As someone who has been an ambassador for Middlesex University many times, representing only the best for the prospective students, I get asked this question a lot: “What about working while studying?” Now, this is what I usually answer with: “It is easy to hold a part time job or two while studying, as long as you balance it out properly.”

Most university students find that they need to have a job in order to survive. From being able to buy all the books and stationary required, to being able to afford food and the bills, or even rent; life outside studying needs a little dough to be feasible. The issue that most have, however, is scheduling that time to work in-between class times and still having time to focus on assessments or exams. After all, conflicting schedules could lead to making the decision of what you consider to be a priority: work or your education?

Flexible hours are a blessing to all students working, since it means that they can schedule work hours so that they do not clash with classes. Self-employed jobs are also great since you can work in your own time and organise work hours around your class timetables.

My advice? Get yourself a planner. Planners, calendars, and diaries - all these things will help you organise yourself so that you can minimise clashing events, see when you need to plan time to study, and keep track of your work hours. Personally, I cannot live without my planner. Since purchasing my ‘little book of life’, it has gotten so much easier for me to see what and when I need to be doing something.

Since I have two self-employed jobs, including working in an events company, Splendid, and as a Student Ambassador for Amazon Prime, it is important that my time management is on the dot. In order to do this, I not only have my planner, but also several calendars that I keep updated every week. However, I am also aware that not every student can be as obsessive about planning as I am, so you only need one of these things to help you. Diaries and little planners are so easy to get, and usually quite cheap. Even so, the purchase is definitely worth it.

The next important step is to make sure you balance your work and study properly. No matter how much money you need, your education is also incredibly important. Middlesex University has no issues with students having a job or two outside of class, and even provide jobs for those that want to stick close within the Student Union or even in the University itself through the MDX Works service. But when you’ve missed a week of lessons because you’ve prioritised work, that is when the university will start to have issues.

Balancing work and study is difficult, especially when you also factor in your social life and hobbies, but time management is a skill that every student needs to have and build on. It also adds a little extra to your CV and something that every employer looks for. So, to all the students out there wondering how the hell they’re supposed to be able to work and study at the same time - chill! There are many ways to organise your time, and an abundance of stationary that can help you do this.

All you need is good time management skills, the resolve to get over any laziness, and a positive outlook to successfully balance study and money.