Having a part-time job when you’re at university is a great way to gain more money, reduce debt and gain new skills for your CV. However, trying to balance studies and work is one of the many challenges that students face.
Surviving on a student budget is a challenge and in the recent National Student Money Survey 2018 , 78% of respondents worried about making ends meet, so for most students, working alongside your studies is a necessity.
Having been at university for the past 5 years studying and working, here are some tips and things to bear in mind when trying to balance your study-work life.
1. Get a job that is flexible
One of the most crucial parts of being able to balance the two, is having an adaptable job. It is always a struggle to try and balance a part or full-time job when the hours are non-negotiable. Working for companies or businesses that understand you are a student can be a great benefit, as they can be more accommodating.
Alternatively, applying for jobs within the university may be one of the easiest and highest- paying flexible jobs you could get. Try looking for jobs on Residences, KCLSU or KCL Student Ambassador schemes. The roles are more suited to working when you are available, rather than to a set number of hours.
2. Schedule your time way in advance
Getting organised is probably one of the most crucial elements of balancing studying and working. You must plan in advance for everything. I always try to have an idea of what is happening during the month including outings and other social events and making sure there are no conflicts in my schedule.
Personally, I like to travel light, so I use the default calendar on my phone. This works quite well for me and transferring my scheduled classes to that gives me an idea of the free time I have to schedule in work hours. However always make sure to double check your classes on the day as changes can occur overnight.
3. Remember your studies come first
It’s easier said than done when trying to live off the money left over after paying for rent, food and travel. It’s tempting to try and work as many hours as you can, but you have to remember that you’ve come to university to study. This is what is going to help you gain the crucial skills needed for a graduate job, so, make sure you give your studies the time it is due!
If you are struggling financially, contact King’s Advice Services who will be able to help with budgeting and provide advice, support and information for hardship funds.
4. Develop Deep Learning vs Surface learning
This is more of a study tip, but it is vital. It’s very easy to start stressing and start learning by ‘rote’, copying out large chunks of text and not really appreciating the full depth. Studies have shown that those that learn for the deeper understanding than that of accepting what is said, have shown to perform really well, in comparison to those that learn for the sake of exams or just learning what is put out in the lectures.
One thing that I do is to contextualize my learning. ‘Knowing’ is one thing but knowing how to apply and adapt requires a deeper understanding of what you learn but also allows you transfer the information you had.
5. Don’t procrastinate
One thing I have noticed that myself and other students do is procrastinate and put off studying in favour of going to work. We make up reasons to justify ‘working now and studying later’. This can be a very slippery slope – we always need money to enjoy our student life but at the same time we’ve come to university to study, so putting off our course work to the last minute can be detrimental and bad practice for the future.
The quality of your assignments is likely to be higher if you do small chunks of study over a long period of time rather than trying to complete it all in a 48-hour window! The more time you give yourself to check over your work, the more likely you are to find the errors and make improvements.
Words: Sajeel ResiLife
Picture: Shutterstock
