Surviving College 101: Balancing School and Work

Jackson Miller, Staff Editor

Money is a great thing to have, but getting it takes a lot of work, and sometimes that work can get I the way of more important things, like school. The important thing that needs to be addressed is that trying to go to school and balance work is difficult and cannot be done with the work of just one person. It takes the work of the employer and the school to make a work school balance possible.

To balance school and work a student has to plan ahead said the college board.org, I know that have to plan when I am going to get my assignments done in and around my busy college schedule. Elena Flores, a senior at Norfolk High School, quipped that,” I honestly have to write down shifts and assignments due dates three times” in order to remember them all. Kyle Hansen, a college student at Wayne state, also said that he sets aside times on his days off so that he can get homework done. Employers have to work with students so that they can work their shifts around times that they have class said a manager at the Norfolk Target store. In my opinion Target does a good job of being flexible, and working with students schedules.  “I do like working. It not only gives something to take pride in and help my resume look better, but it also provides me with the means to pay for things that I want and/ or need”, said Hansen, Flores also stated that she loves working and it helps her improve her skills needed for everyday life. The Target manager also said the she thinks it is important to hire college students because it teaches them things like responsibility, commitment, and time management.

Times can be hard, some students have to work in order to go to school, Hansen said that he is not paying for school right now, using student loans, but he does have to make car payments, pay for a place to live, and pay for insurance. All of these things take money and money doesn’t just grow on trees, it has to be earned the old fashion ay by working.

The university of Illinois at Chicago has a few tips when to comes to balancing your school and work life. One they say that u have to look for a job that will fit in and around your school schedule, two talk to your supervisor and the company’s human resources department about your goals and schedule before taking the job. They go on to say that you also need to find out about tuition assistance, get organized, communicate with friends and family, make the most of student resources, be kind to yourself and address STRESS.

Working is a great thing, but a student cannot let it get in the way of their studies, I know that I have to make sure I have at least one night a week to catch up on homework so that do not fall behind. When asked if he had ever had to drop a class because of work Hansen said that he hadn’t, but he did say that he has had to miss work in order to go to class. Balancing school and work can be a difficult process, but many college and high school students are giving it a go, and that is all they can do.

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