Spring semester is finally starting for many colleges, which means that winter break has sadly come to an end. And if you've been working during winter break, this, unfortunately, means that you have to deal with the stress of working a part-time job and going to class. For me, this will be my first semester that I will be working two part-time jobs, which will most likely be stressful! Working a part-time job and going to school can be very stressful since you not only have to deal with finding time to complete assignments, but you also have to allow time for a social life or for yourself. However, there are a few ways that you can balance having a job and making time for completing school work.
Here are eight tips on how to balance a part-time job and going to college.
1. Make sure school is the priority.
School should always be the priority! Grades should always come first since having a good GPA will help you in the future for a full-time job. Even if you need to make money at your job to pay for daily expenses, you need to make sure that you are also allowing time for completing assignments. If you find yourself working too many hours and not completing your assignments, then you need to make a change so that you don't find yourself falling behind in your classes.
2. Use a planner.
Planners are a great way to keep yourself organized! You can use a planner to plan when to complete assignments as well as keep track of what time you will be working. You should always carry a planner around at all times so that you can keep track of when you will be in class and when you will be working a shift.
3. Plan when to complete assignments each day.
If you want to get your assignments completed, then you need to make a plan of when to complete them each day. You can use a planner and decide what time you will spend to complete an assignment when you're not working or going to class. Keeping a game plan of when to work on assignments will not only help you get your assignments finished, but it will also prevent you from procrastinating on completing your assignments. It's also a good way of preventing unnecessary stress!
4. Don't be afraid to change your work schedule.
If you find that you have little time for working on schoolwork, then don't be afraid to talk to your boss about changing your work schedule. Most part-time bosses understand that school is a priority. Therefore, if you find yourself working too many hours, talk to your boss before you overwork yourself.
5. Make time for y​ourself.
Schoolwork isn't the only thing that you need to make time for. It's always a good idea to allow time for yourself. Whether it's 15 minutes of relaxing or if it's spending time with your friends, you should always allow yourself the time to take a break from the stress from working at school and at your job. You should also not give up on any hobbies that you love such as reading or painting. You should always allow time for doing something that you love since it will actually help you relieve any lingering stress.
6. Try to complete assignments at work.
If your boss allows you to or you have any free time at your job, you should consider completing assignments at work. If you work on campus, then you are often allowed to have time to complete assignments. Even if you don't work on campus, you are usually given some free time which you can use for working on homework if you need to. It's a great way to allow yourself some time to complete any important assignments!
7. Don't work in between classes.
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Make sure to never schedule work in between your classes! You increase the risk of being late to one of your classes. If you do schedule to work while you're not in class, make sure it isn't too close to when you will need to go to class so that you don't find yourself stressing over rushing to get there on time.
8. Don't overload yourself.
Finally, another important tip to keep in mind is to make sure not to overwork yourself! Whether it's working too many hours or taking too many classes, don't try to put too much pressure on yourself! Remember, your body can only take so much stress. Even if working is important, you need to allow yourself time to breathe. Otherwise, you'll find your grades falling or you may begin to feel overwhelmed.
So before you start planning on working during the semester, you should keep these tips in mind. Working during the semester can be very stressful, but it is manageable. If you're working this semester, make sure to follow some of these tips so that you don't become overwhelmed while managing to get through the semester.
