It is difficult finding a job whilst studying at university, especially at Canterbury where the city is filled with ambitious students looking for work. And even though the city centre provides many job opportunities, not every student will be successful in obtaining one. But if you do, then the world of working and studying will open a whole new perspective of life for you.
The benefits of working part-time
• Working part-time will enable you to gain many skills that will potentially become useful in your future. From teamwork to leadership skills, working will set you challenges that will prepare you for the unexpected and it will give you an insight into what it is really like working in a busy environment.
• Working part-time will help you manage your time more effectively, since you will be organising your deadlines, ensuring that you will be prioritising the most important work first. And working will set your mind away from all the university work that awaits for you at home. It is a different atmosphere, a different kind of pressure and different kind of people that you will work with.
• If you are tired of the endless university work, working is an alternate that will set you free from boredom.
• It is always great to see that your bank account is still alive; when you start working, you will be able to afford many great things that you have dreamed of, whether it is those Nike trainers or Adidas t-shirt.
Working and studying: a struggle?
• However, when the university pressure and workload drown you, sometimes you wish that you weren’t working during the weekend so you could have that extra day to complete your studies. It is not an easy life.
• It is difficult to cover your colleague’s shift or even take extra shifts because your manager asked you, but yet you have a huge assessment due in soon. You have to be honest and act fast in order to avoid clashes, and prioritise important work first.
• Do not procrastinate. It is very hard not to do this, because we all procrastinate; it’s part of our lives. But if you organise a routine or a diary, stick to it! This way, you know what to prioritise.
I have been working part-time for over three years now. From my perspective, it can be a struggle sometimes. There are times when I find it hard to establish a balance between work and studying; every now and then it can be difficult to prioritise. But the best thing to do (and I speak from experience), is that before each assessment is due in, take the previous week off (as a holiday) so you have the weekend for any last minute editing before the final submission. Even for exams, take holidays to ensure that you have plenty of time to revise. It is not a waste of holiday, trust me. You will thank me once exam season approaches and you need to complete last minute revision. It is just a matter of being organised; if you play your cards right, then you will enjoy the life of working and studying.