Balancing work and school

BALANCING SCHOOL AND WORK

Balancing your academics and work can be hard but it doesn’t have to be! As a Google Calendar queen, I can’t recommend enough that first-year students find and use a calendar/agenda planner. A calendar or agenda can help you organize your tasks to ensure that you’re staying on top of school, work, volunteering and any other extracurriculars or passion projects that you’re a part of.

— SAARA RAJAN

Being a student isn’t easy, but being a student with a job is even harder. Here are a few quick tips on how to balance the (school) work you pay for and that work that pays you.

PLAN YOUR TIME Being conscious of how you spend your time is key. Between getting enough sleep, attending class and clocking in to your shifts, there is only so much time left over, so you have to spend it wisely. Maintaining a planner is a sure-fire way to properly plan your time. At the beginning of each week, set some time aside to write in your classes and work shifts, and then look at your syllabi and try to write in which homework assignments you need to be working on in your free time. Staying organized is the only way to stay on track.

GET SOME SLEEP Pulling all nighters may be normal for some students, especially during exam seasons — but don’t buy into it. Getting your rest is important, especially if you also have to work on top of your studies. Keeping a solid sleep schedule will help you stay healthy and maintain the delicate balance between work and school.

REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN As cliche as it sounds, you really do only live once. While your time at university should be spent on furthering your education, it should also be enjoyable. Carving out time on a Friday night after a long shift at work to hang out with your friends should be just as much of a priority as your classes. Booking a day off work to celebrate your best friend’s birthday isn’t going to matter years down the line. It’s important to keep in mind that while university may feel like a preparation period for the rest of your life, you are alive right now. Finding ways to feel alive while you work and study will be worth the stress of reorganizing your schedule. U