College is stressful. Homework, lecture halls, making friends, searching for internships —and on top of all that, college is expensive. According to the HuffPost, four out of five college students are working part-time jobs, adding yet another duty onto our already buckling shoulders. Finding a balance between our responsibilities can be the ultimate challenge for college students. Here are some tips on surviving college with a part-time job.
Designate Time to Study
If you’re like me, your planner is a clutter of deadlines, plans, places to be and times to be there. But the most overlooked part of our schedule is the one that can hurt us the most — study time. It’s just too easy to blow off! “I’ll study later,” you tell yourself, knowing damn well you’re never going to have downtime where you actually feel like studying. This gets even worse with a part-time job added to the mix. This is why designating time to study is so important. I’ve found it most helpful to schedule study sessions in between my classes when I’m already in the school mindset.
Don’t Ignore Self-Care
When you do get free time, it’s easy to waste it doing one million different versions of nothing —browsing Netflix for hours, scrolling through social media, etc. It’s rare we actually spend as much time on self-care than we actually deserve. And no, school is not more important than your mental health. Neither is work, or friends, or really anything. Start small habits that can help you de-stress. Try to be conscious of how you spend your time, and try to make sure you invest in activities that will actually serve you.
Consider Transportation
One of the biggest mistakes I made when I started my part-time job was failing to consider exactly how I would get there. Rushing to work before or after class, constantly anxious about missing the bus or finding parking is stress you just do not need in your life. It’s always best to find a job that’s conveniently located. If you can’t, make sure to schedule your availability generously around your pre-designated responsibilities and add plenty of cushion for transportation. You’ll thank yourself later.
Save Your Money
Easier said than done, I know. But the truth is work will be much less stressful if you can see the results building in your bank account. Plus, after a while of saving, you will feel more comfortable taking the occasional day off. Instead of blowing your paycheck on parties or junk food, try to put at least half of it in a savings account. The security of having money to fall back on after college will make all the part-time job blues feel completely worth it. It’s an inconvenient truth, but saving money is a form of self-care. You work hard, girl. Don’t waste that paper.
Know Your Boundaries —And Stick to Them
Whether it’s picking up an extra shift or performing a mentally draining task, it’s crucial to know what you can do and what you just can’t. Even more important is to vocalize these boundaries. It doesn’t make you a weak person or a bad employee to say no. In fact, I argue that it takes a very strong person to stand her ground. When making a decision on something you’d rather not do, keep in mind all your other responsibilities, including the responsibility you hold to yourself. If it costs you your mental health, it just isn’t worth it.
College isn’t easy. Neither is working a part-time job. Thankfully, there are steps we can take to make the workload a little easier to cope with. Taking care of yourself and finding good time management skills will only ever benefit you. Most importantly, keep your focus on the end-goal. Shitty jobs and stressful schedules are only temporary. Being well educated and financially secure when you enter the real world, on the other hand, is everything.