College students have to worry about more than making a grade. Many students say they are faced with the challenge of working while being in school.
“The majority of students work because they need the money to pay for various necessities,” said Dr. Yolanda Bogan, Director of University Counseling at FAMU.
Bogan said students often struggle to manage their time properly when working and going to school. Students have to find a way to set their schedule so that work and class time will not conflict.
Although working can provide a way to afford school, having a job can also have a negative side effect.
“Working so many hours doesn’t affect my grades, but it does affect my knowledge on the material,” said Beverly Pollock, a social work graduate student from Two Egg, Fla.
Laike Abebe, a public health graduate student from Boston, talked about how going to school and working has affected his social life.
“I don’t have a social life because I work forty hours a week and I take ten credit hours,” Abebe said.
Abebe also discussed the significance of being organized.
“Organization is key in any aspect of life, particularly in grad school,” Abebe said.
Time management, or finding a healthy balance between going to class, working, and personal time, is one of the most difficult aspects of being a working student.
“If I have a little down time I might take a nap or read a book,” Pollock said.
It is important that students do not to overwhelm themselves.
“We recommend students don’t work more than 20 hours a week,” Bogan said.
Bogan went on to say rest is important when taking on so many tasks. Many students don’t get the proper amount of rest and that can affect their performance at school and work.
“We tell students to look at their budget and see how much they have to work,” Bogan said.
Communication with the manager is also vital.
“Speak with your supervisor about school and let them know when you have tests or projects coming up,” Bogan said.
Bogan ended by reminding students to put academics first.