How to Make Working in University Work for You

I have been in school for almost seven years and have been working close to full-time hours while doing it.

This might sound unimaginable to most people. Undergrads navigating not getting "weeded out," master's students who can't take time away from the literature. Well, I'm here to tell you it is achievable without compromising your academic success and general life outside academia.

After my first year of University, living off of my financial aid was not cutting it. I had also spent all of high school working and wasn't used to having no income flow in. So, I started applying for jobs. I had a lot of residence life dons telling me about how great working at the campus athletic centre was, so I applied. I spent three years working at the gym, I also spent the remainder of those three years finishing a double major in a heavier than usual course load, since the double major I wanted didn't technically exist yet, and volunteering. I also still had a social life, and a relationship. All while working 20-30 hours a week. This continued into my master's, another school, another athletic department, and another job on top of that, because when you don't live with five other people, living is expensive.

So how did I balance working 20-30 hours a week, going to class almost 20 hours a week, volunteering in a campus club once a week, and still making time to hang out with friends, and spend time with my partner? Very carefully. This kind of routine isn't for the lazy. The main word there, routine. After a while everything flows. Wake up at 5:30 AM, work at the gym from six to 10 AM, go to class, go back to the gym to work out, eat food in between (no ones perfect here, but meal prepping at least for breakfast and snack was key), go back to class, eat dinner with partner or roommates, go see partner/roommates/friends, go home do work, go back to bed and start again.

I was fortunate enough that I could do homework at work, I tried not to but occasionally I would study. Eventually, it also became easier to see my partner because we took classes together, and he started working at the gym so we could even spend time together. Also by fourth year, the allure of going out was pretty well over, so the need to be wildly social was gone.

My tips to the inexperienced over-worker?

1. Start by getting a job on-campus. These are often jobs way more accommodating of your school schedule, and the fact that you're a student.
2. Start a routine. Do you have spare time on Thursdays? Make food for the week, easy grab and go's, muffins, pasta mixes, cut veggies, etc... It might be your only down time, but use it to keep yourself healthy while you are running around.
3. Stack your classes, if you can, try and organize your classes all on one day, Tuesday/Thursdays, Monday/Wednesday/Friday, give yourself some gaps.
4. Spread your requirements out! Is that one biology class always offered in the spring term, or maybe even online? Leave it 'til the summer semester, give yourself a break and more time to work if you need it.
5. Have a partner? Get a job together, take classes together. If you are always running around and don't have time for each other it is a recipe for disaster. Make it easier for yourself, plan your classes together, work together, or join a club together. This really also works with your friends too!
6. Last but not least, don't let yourself get overwhelmed. Ask for 15 hours a week at work, pick-up more if you have time, or get another job that has less frequent shifts. The more you do, the more tired you are going to get, I definitely have been there. At some point though, you have to decide if the money is worth the loss of sleep, or nutrition, or maybe even your grades if that's what you didn't make time for.
7. A schedule and routine is key. The more you have organized, the more you know when your free time is and isn't and where you have to be when. Stay organized and you can definitely still make bank while being a full-time student.
8. I mean, I'm doing it now, so here's proof. Master's level student, now working in athletics and the library, but both have flexible hours around my schedule, and computers so I can always be doing work if I want to—0r writing Vocal posts instead!