Taking on a part-time job as a student is a reality that many students face in our daily lives that can impact our focus on academics. The countless hours spent in classes, working on homework, and working a regular job may prohibit the ability to maintain one’s health and put their best foot forward academically and at work. Since we live in a society that in many cases prioritize education, it can feel as though there is an immense pressure that weighs heavily on our ability to succeed as students.
When faced with the issue of balancing school and work, I find that it is common for students to be met with the argument that they just need better time management. Some say that using a planner and organizational tools will solve all problems related to the inability to complete school work after a closing shift. I think that it is important to consider factors beyond the time management perspective and consider exhaustion, both mental and physical, along with the actual lack of time in a day to get work done. In order to get my own work done on time, I often find myself sacrificing hours of sleep at night and struggling to find energy throughout the day to fully immerse myself in my classes. However, I use many organizational tools, a planner, my reminders app, and online platforms that allow me to see my list of assignments and their due dates. While the organization does help me establish some form of time management to distribute tasks throughout the day, it doesn’t make up for the time that I will not be able to work on my assignments since I will be in class or at work.
This obstacle is also exacerbated by the degree program you may be in. I’m an Education major and something I’ve noticed is that the teacher education program at Meredith is a time commitment that calls for many field hours. Most education classes at Meredith required to obtain licensure have a field hour requirement in a classroom environment outside of class.
I think requiring field hours for future teachers is a reasonable policy, however I do think that the amount of hours should be reconsidered for flexibility. For students who have to work or choose to work, the number of field hours required to obtain a teaching license could possibly be a barrier. If you are taking multiple courses in Education, the field hour requirement goes up.
During midterm weeks, final exams, and weeks with a heavier workload in general, I have to decide between prioritizing my class schedule or my work schedule to get things done. The issue with these choices is that I will either miss out on lectures that I need to be a successful student or miss out on money that I need to live. I had to get a job to fund my lifestyle as a student so that I could get an education for my future career. On top of having to choose between work and school, I also have to decide what classes I should prioritize when completing assignments. Some assignments require more focus than others which means I should work on them when I have enough time and energy to complete them with maximum effort. Prioritizing assignments often means that I have to sacrifice others, whether that means failing to complete them or submitting mediocre work, to get enough rest to function the next day and wake up for classes on time.
Finding balance between school and work life can come with its challenges beyond time management. Every student is going to have different experiences when it comes to the jobs they hold and how that affects their education to work ratio. However, that does not deter from the fact that for many, working is an additional stressor that is a necessity, but can affect their student life as well.
By Elaina Irving, Contributing Writer
Photo by Grayson Morris
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