Hours per week
Trying to balance out my responsibilities as a full-time worker and a student is difficult. I work at least 30 hours a week, sometimes more. Along with that I also have two work-study jobs. I am currently taking 17.5 credits for the fall semester so I guess you can say I’m quite busy.
Most nights I sleep less than six hours and hardly have any time for myself. In a typical work week, I work roughly 32 hours. Some weeks are slower, with 28 hours and other weeks are busier where I work up to 36 hours at my off-campus job alone.
At my desk assistant job, I work 15 hours maximum and three hours minimum a week. With peer tutoring, I usually work six hours a week. I have two hours a week for in-class time and two hour-long office hours. If it sounds like a lot, it’s because it is. Some nights I will work from two in the afternoon to 11 at night at my full-time job and then work as a desk assistant from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Shift overlaps
This is typically when I run out the door and try to get back to Cabrini as fast as I can. One time my shift at my full-time gig ended at 11:30 pm and I had to work as a desk assistant at 11 pm. I had to leave as soon as I could, run upstairs to get my laptop and other supplies for an assignment and change into my desk assistant shirt.
When I work as a desk assistant I try to get as much work done as I possibly can. I plan out what assignments I will do for each shift. This includes writing a checklist for those assignments and planning to complete that checklist before the end of my shift.
By the time I get off one job, I’m heading to the next. Working a full-time job as a full-time student is as stressful as you think it is. After work, I tend to have a hard time focusing on my assignments. Most of my energy goes into my job. I usually work eight or ten-hour shifts. Out of those eight to 10 hours, I am on my feet the entire time besides a 30-minute lunch break.
Managing my time
If I am pressed for time on an assignment, I’ll even bring my laptop to work. Over lunch breaks, I study or do small bits of work during downtime in my shift. Typically, I tend to try to get work done as much as I can throughout the week because on weekend’s I work longer shifts
I leave work sore and tired. From foot aches to backaches. Trying to do school work after a shift is difficult. I find it hard to maintain focus because my brain is still in work mode. I usually try to do work during classes or while I am working as a desk assistant. Sometimes I get a ton of work done and other times I don’t.
The biggest task for me is staying focused and not putting in more effort in one area than another. It’s easy to be more focused on work and not performing as great in school. I constantly have to remind myself that school is my first priority.
At the end of the day
Working full time and being a student is one of the hardest things to balance and sometimes you have to work long hours just to make ends meet. It also is not something I would recommend if you are taking a full course load but at the same time what are you supposed to do if you cannot afford college without working. According to The Atlantic, “nearly 40 percent of undergraduate students and 76 percent of graduate students work at least 30 hours a week, according to the report.”
It is a shame that we have to choose between being able to afford college and having to overload ourselves with school and work but in today society it seems like those are only two options. However, with speaking with your financial counselor and your professors you can find a way to manage both.
