College is a scary time. Many students have to focus on #1 Passing their courses, #2 A part time (or full time) job, and #3 Finding a job after graduation. Tension and anxiety can run high but here are a few things you can do to balance school, work, and job hunting.
- Rank tasks
- I’m sure we’ve all been there. 5 different assignments to complete, all different levels of difficulty, and all due around the same time. It really depends on the person, but I like to complete the easiest assignments first and the hardest last. Of course, if the hardest one is due sooner, I will complete that first. However, I feel that the small feeling of accomplishment that comes with completing the smaller tasks makes it easier to focus.
- You could also create a planner to help you both remember and prioritize the right tasks. Just remember to leave some space to breathe and budget time for sleeping.
- A great, free planner is Google Calendar. Just input the due dates for assignments from the syllabus schedule and never miss a submission date.
- Boost productivity
- Admit it, sometimes you get carried away on your phone. We all do it. The best thing you can do is to eliminate distractions! Put your phone on the other side of the room and lock in. If you can’t stay away, there are plenty of productivity applications available for phones. While they offer incentives such as growing a tree on your phone screen (forest), the most intense assistant is cold turkey. If you find that you can’t stay off of desktop YouTube, cold turkey will block all distracting websites.
- Communicate
- Let your manager know if you are going to be busy studying or finishing a huge final project. More often than not, they understand. Especially if they went to college as well. The worst thing you can do is suddenly call out of work and leave them struggling to replace you for the day.
- Use the course syllabus to predict when you will need time off to give your employer a forewarning. The sooner the better!
- Job hunting
- As you search for a job, try not to burn out. The process can be tiring and disheartening but don’t give up!
- Craft your resume to align with the job you are applying for. Read through the job description and highlight your traits/experiences that would directly contribute to the position’s functions. Remember: companies are looking for a candidate to fit their empty spot.
- Schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor! UH Manoa Students and Alumni (of <5 years) are eligible to meet with Career Counselors to go over resume, interview, and other job-related topics. Click Here for more information!
https://www.careereducation.columbia.edu/resources/6-tips-maintaining-balance-during-job-search
https://www.husson.edu/online/blog/2023/07/tips-for-balancing-work-and-college
https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/how-to-balance-work-and-school
