Working for the department in which you are studying is also a great way to expose yourself to the faculty and students in the department, and stay-up-to-date on any opportunities relevant to your course of study. Alternatively, ask your favorite professors about good entry-level jobs with relevance to your interests. They may even know of a few gigs that other students with your interest have held previously, and may be able to point you in the direction of a potential employer!
Not only are these positions designed for students, they are also more likely to fit into a student’s schedule. Your superiors will be well aware that you are also a student, and will likely take this in to account when scheduling and other specific issues arise. Examples of positions you may be eligible for as a student include working at the library or in a residential hall. Keep an eye out for a position that may even offer the opportunity to study while on the clock! You can likely register on an email list that will notify you when new student positions are posted.
If a weekly part-time job seems to be a bit too much, you could always work during breaks in your academic schedule.
If you’re studying within an extremely competitive program wherein your success will likely determine the quality of the job you get, it’s likely worth prioritizing your studies. Depending on your discipline, the job you’ll end up landing could potentially make short work of your debt.
Even if your work and studies are completely unrelated, work is still providing you with experience prioritizing responsibilities, communicating, etc.
Some students work full time while attending school part-time. This may work especially well for supplementary degrees. Talk to a counselor at whatever school you’re considering about class or program options that will work for your work schedule.
For instance, if your job requires you to monitor the business’s social media account, you can likely apply the knowledge you’re acquiring at work to a marketing assignment in a business class. You may even be able to select topics for assignments based on your job. For example, if you are assigned a project on designing a new marketing campaign, you could model the campaign on the business you’re already working for, and win points with both your professor and your boss in the process.
For instance, lots of service industry positions can allow for evening-and-weekend-only work schedules. Accordingly, they may also allow you to take an extra class. Consider a job bartending or serving at a popular restaurant or bar. These positions, though sometimes challenging, have the potential to earn you a high hourly wage, and are potentially less likely to be a source of distraction when you’re not at work.
At the start of the term, transfer everything from each class’s syllabus into your calendar, so you know exactly when important dates are coming up. One good practice to try out is studying for an hour or two either right before or after each shift you work. Once you’ve got a good week plan in place, try to stick to it. For example, don’t pick up a shift if it will cut into time you intended to study, unless you know you can make up that study time the next day.
Include cooperative studying sessions in your weekly schedule – perhaps at the campus café every Thursday evening? Make use of group message boards, which are often even facilitated by the class itself. If one does not already exist, make one and invite your classmates using their school email addresses.
Make sure to avoid rooms with televisions or other things that may draw your attention away from studying. Turn your phone off, and put on headphones if other people are around. If you listen to music, choose music without lyrics to help you focus. Get in the practice of keeping everything you need to study all together, perhaps in the place you study or in a backpack.
To keep sessions consistent, get in the habit of studying at the same time four or five days a week. The regularity that results from a consistent study schedule will also make your study sessions more productive. Your mental focus will be improved, as your brain will anticipate focusing on schoolwork for that part of the day. Having regularly scheduled study sessions also means you can occasionally miss a study session as long as you get back into the routine as quickly as you’re able.
Since more emotional and mental effort will be required to comprehend challenging material, address it first while your mind and body are fresh and focused. More routine, busy work can be accomplished as you coast through the later part of a study session. Revisit your class notes before starting an assignment. It’s very important to fully understand the specific requirements, as well as the learning objective, or assignments before you begin.
Even on especially busy days, take breaks. Go for a walk around the block, and leave your phone at home. Try not to think about what you’re working on. Instead, appreciate the way the sun and air feel on your skin, the color of the leaves, or the angles of a building you’ve never noticed before. Try working for about 50 minutes, and taking a 10 or 15 minute break before hunkering down for another 50 minute session of focused studying or working. Plan a trip – whether to Vegas, or a campsite just out of town – to follow an especially busy period of time. Not only will the trip allow you to decompress, it will provide something for you to look forward to in the meantime.
Though it may be challenging to include exercise in your routine initially, stick with it! You’ll soon be looking forward to each session!
Find the specific amount of sleep you need by sleeping without an alarm for three days in a row the next chance you get. The amount of time you naturally sleep for on the second and third nights is likely what your body requires. Try to get at least seven hours of sleep a night. If you find yourself sleeping in on the weekends, this is a sign you need more sleep during the week.
Eat breakfast. Not only will this help sustain you throughout the day, it keeps your metabolism in a healthy rhythm. Try whole grain granola with Greek yogurt, sweetened with honey or fruit. Keep healthy snacks with you. Raw or lightly salted nuts are a great option.
