Juggling a Job alongside University

Being able to get hold of that extra bit of money is like a dream for students; it means you can start being sociable again and stop living on the not-so-healthy diet of pasta (or in my case, potatoes and cereal). However, unless you have discovered how to grow a money tree, in which case please share your secret, or miraculously win the lottery, getting a job is the only answer. The question you have to ask yourself is: will you be able to juggle your job alongside university? It’s all well and good earning more money, but if it comes at the price of falling behind in your studies, is it really worth it?

I work at Tesco Express, doing eight hours a week on a Sunday. This doesn’t seem too bad, right? I still have Saturdays to myself to do what I please, so I don’t lose the whole weekend, and I only work one day a week but still earn a decent amount of money. This is ideal, particularly around the start of the year when you haven’t really got anything to do and there isn’t much going on. A few weeks in, though, and a job can become a real inconvenience. I have had deadlines thrown at me left, right and centre, all around the same time I might add, along with large amounts of reading to do. It’s at this time when I really wish I had my Sundays back (I work 12pm to 8pm, so my day is completely gone). As weird and geeky as this may sound, I envy those who have productive weekends and are able to shift some of their workload. I occasionally try to do some work when I get home, but at eight o’clock, after an eight-hour shift, settling down to focus on university assignments is the last thing I want to do; ‘X Factor’ and ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ with a bit of ‘Take Me Out’ on the side sounds much more appealing. I thought Sundays were supposed to be relaxing, ‘lazy days’; not mine.

It is only after experiencing what it’s like to have a job whilst at university, that I understand why so many people advise not doing this. The two definitely don’t go hand in hand. That said, having a job in your first year isn’t as bad as having one later in your studies because, let’s face it, first year doesn’t count. So, who cares if you haven’t done a few readings? During second year, however, the pressure is piled on; it finally dawns on you that everything you do will have an impact on the mark that you end up graduating with. Therefore, losing those precious hours that you could be spending on your essay, or on reading, or doing whatever else you have to do, weighs heavily on your mind.

In order to successfully juggle a job alongside university, I think forward planning, organisation and time management are vital. You need to make sure you have enough time during your week to get all of your work done, and ensure that you will have time for other commitments. You don’t want to overdo it either. Carefully consider whether you will have any time to simply chill out, because if you don’t, I can guarantee you will end up incredibly stressed. It can be like a vicious circle, as getting 

stressed leads to finding reasons to procrastinate (well, if you are anything like me it does), which defeats the object of being able to get things done.

So, if you are actually considering getting a job while at university, I would recommend that you think about it thoroughly. Weigh up the positives and the negatives, and consider whether it is actually worth having a job, or whether you could manage without one. Personally, I need my job: without it, I would not be able to live away from home and go to university at the same time (this is potentially problematic, considering that I live three hours away). However, If you are luckier than me and do not necessarily need a job to be able to cope with your university lifestyle, or to simply survive on, then I’d suggest not getting one. Having a job is another extra thing to think about, and it also limits your free time considerably. Having said that, everyone is different, so if you thrive on pressure and like to be busy all the time, and if you feel up for the challenge, then go for it. I hope that you can cope better than I do!

Image Sources:
1. http://brandexperiencematters….
2. Author’s own.
 

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