University is a constant balancing act
The academic responsibilities of being a university student can be difficult to fulfill when you are simultaneously juggling a part-time job and a social life. Here are four things to keep in mind when attempting to find a balance between school, work, and friends.
Prioritize
Prioritizing school and getting your work done is important—why would you be paying thousands of dollars in tuition otherwise? You can go to Trappers with buddies on Friday and have a Netflix binge on Saturday, but make sure you have your school life in check beforehand. That way, don’t have to come home after an eight hour shift on Sunday and stay up all night working on a five page essay that’s due the next day.
It may seem like the most obvious thing to do, but it can be easy to slip into a routine where your responsibilities as a student are pushed to the side in favour of hanging out with friends when you aren’t working. There is a reason professors and well-meaning upperclassmates put an emphasis on the importance of keeping up with your readings. Getting into the habit of attending all of your classes and staying on top of readings, online discussion posts, and other various homework assignments is easier than trying to learn a semester’s worth of information during exam season.
Get an agenda
Putting important dates into the calendar on your phone can be helpful, but also having a daily planner can serve as a physical reminder of things you need to get done without the added allure of access to social media and gaming apps which can hamper your productivity levels. A planner is the best way of making sure that what needs to be done gets done. It will help you to keep track of school assignments and work shifts, which is useful when making weekend plans with friends or scheduling personal appointments. It will lessen the likelihood of accidentally double booking or forgetting about important dates.
Communicate
Don’t be a stranger. No one will know just how hectic your schedule may be unless you tell them. Let your boss know that you are a student if they don’t already know; give them a copy of your class schedule and keep them updated about any changes. If you have a family or medical emergency that may prevent you from handing an assignment in on time, email your professor and T.A. to see if an extension due to extenuating circumstances is possible. If you know that your week is going to be busy, tell your friends so that they know you aren’t avoiding them.
Remember your goal(s)
With the constant buildup of stress from managing school, a job, and an active social life, it’s not unusual for some people to lose sight of what they began working so hard for in the first place. Maybe you chose to continue your education so that you could advance your career and have to work a part-time job or two in order to save money to pay back student loans. Regardless of your situation, taking a moment every now and again to remind yourself of what ultimately lies at the end of your time at university is important. Whenever you begin to feel overwhelmed, keeping your goals in mind can allow you to put things back into perspective and keep you sufficiently motivated.