Holding a Job in College: Five Collegiettes’ Tips

Many Chatham students hold one or two jobs during the academic year, but it certainly isn’t easy. Here, five HC Chatham team members give their tips for being an excellent employee and a stellar student. 

Social Media Director Amy Chau

“If you’re working, you’re taking studying time away. Decide when your study days and work days are. Never take an extra shift on your study days just because you want more income, especially when you have an exam coming. You grades will suffer from it.

“Time management is the most important skill for balancing work, class, and extracurricular activities. Have a planner, electronic or hand-written, to keep track of everything that is important.”

Photographer Rosemary Davies

“In general, you want to use time management skills for balancing your workload. For me, this is using a planner and my MacBook’s “iCal” calendar. I also use write-on wall decal stickers to remind and encourage myself.

“You can be really surprised by how much you can conquer in a day! If you don’t feel successful, you can try a pinch of optimism to brighten up your day. Being encouraged is another useful way to stay focused when maintaining both your job and studies.”

Fashion Writer Alex Heathcock

“I actually am a lot more productive and feel more scheduled when I do hold a job. It kind of cuts out time to procrastinate, so I make a super specific schedule of everything I have to do, when it’s due, and have reminders pop up on my phone and computer a few days beforehand. It can get hectic, but it’s manageable, I promise!”

News/Lifestyle Writer Shannon Ward

“I’m very lucky in the sense that my job as a desk attendant really allows a lot of time for me to do homework. For jobs that require more direct attention, though, you just really have to budget your time between the two. Get to bed at a decent hour and do homework in smaller segments. If you work for a few hours and then come back to a stack of homework, you’re going to be overwhelmed and burn out really quick. Take it out in short bursts. It makes a difference!”

Blog Section Editor Onastasia Youssef

“I don’t really have a job right now, but I work about twelve hours a week at a local gallery. I scheduled that for Friday and Saturday when I don’t have on-campus classes, and I make sure to do my homework in the morning those days before I leave in the afternoon.”

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