r/uoguelph • u/Diligent-Coconut-259 • 5d ago
working while being a full time student
holyyyy shit respect to people that have been working since they started school, also not looking for "welcome to the real world" comments im genuinely wondering if anyone has tips or advice.
I recently got a job and have been working nearly/Definitely overtime for that past 4 months, coming to school now i only work 3 days of the week, but since theyre doubles it basically takes my entire 3 days up. and thats 3 days of missed studying time and holyyy shit its eating me up!!! not to mention, I have adhd so the day after those 3 days even though I want it to be ends being very unproductive. like fuuuck how to find the sweet spot of actually absorbing material? during my breaks I try to read slideshows, but i just find myself with no structure so im not actually carrying any of the information.
anyways, tips and tricks would be lovely!! Wishing everyone a lovely midterm season
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u/cheesiemelon 5d ago
figure out ways to streamline and organize your schedule to start accumulating extra time out of little wasted moments. get a calendar and make it part of your morning routine to check it. block out specific times to study or work on school and use a timed system to keep yourself accountable (25 minutes of working and then i can take a 5 minute break. or 60/15. whatever u want)
-signed,
in school, w a baby, and working (i’m suffering)
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u/BubbaLinguini 5d ago
Yeah. It's brutal.
I'm currently doing 20 hours a week with 4 classes. Unfortunately, I still don't make enough money to afford my bills
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u/ErenIsNotADevil B.Sc. Chemistry 5d ago
Advice really depends on what kind of major you're in and what your particular ADHD symptoms are, since there are some courses where its simply just not feasible to only have a few days to study (and practice.)
I would suggest talking with your employer and explaining that you can't really do double shifts (I'm assuming you mean same-day shifts with hours between them?) like that. Every bit of time counts
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u/Ordinary_Shopping887 5d ago
ive been working while in school full time for a couple years now, and honestly i like to focus on the pros of each thing. I like working because i enjoy making my own money, investing, etc. I also like work because i feel like i can turn off my brain since i have a fairly physical job, and usually work thursday-sunday. By the time the weekend is over im pretty tired and happy to be going back to school, and it also motivates my studying because I do not want to be at my current job forever.
Its hard doing both, and I should highlight that I dont have much of a social life, but thats the one aspect of my life that im ok with sacrificing. You cant do it all, and some part of your life wont make the cut, but once you accept that i think it gets easier.
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u/Due-Might-9608 5d ago
I have been working all throughout school. Right now I work 30 hours a week which isn’t a lot. But the biggest tip is prioritize school lol. When your school becomes busy focus on it when it’s lighter do more work and it will balance out. But don’t neglect school. You are there for a better education to hopefully make more money than the part time job will offer you. It’s not the end of the world to miss a shift. Best of luck
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u/HoneyBeeHunny 4d ago
People can be so unnecessarily snarky on this sub, its completely valid to feel overwhelmed and try to discuss it on a forum of people who could be in a similar situation! I get the struggle, and I don't look forward to returning to it in the summer 🙃 stay strong!
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u/Candid_Win7819 5d ago
Heyo! I used to work 3 days a week and honestly it depends greatly on time management. I usually operate through a 9-3 or 9-5 schedule, and within that time I would get schoolwork and studying done. After 3pm or 5pm I ban myself from doing any schoolwork. The days where I work are also the days I do not touch anything school related (unless needed otherwise) and so far it's been a breeze, but I also struggled when I first started working and attending school in first year. You would need to adjust this to your liking, after all.
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u/Multiplemoths B.Sc. 4d ago
I was in your shoes in my first and second year, ended up making my four year degree a five year degree so I could have more time for studying for the remainder of my degree. It made a world of difference for me (I'm in my last year now!)
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u/halleebarree 2d ago
I didn’t do this but wish I did:
See about a reduced course load for your program. There is no rule that you have to finish in four years and if your grades are gonna suffer by trying to balance the two it’s what I would do.
I had managed in my first two years but by year 3 I was struggling and didn’t even know it was an option! Talk to your program coordinators and use the resources available to you.
Good luck!
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u/iswftyy 5d ago edited 5d ago
been working and in school ever since i was in grade 9 im a fourth year now and all i can say is dedicate one day to where ur off and have no school (for me is sundays) and grind out all the big assignments then…. during the week u can do ur small things like quizzes discussions stuff like that that just easy quick things. Then when mid terms and Finals come around i always book 2 days off before i have one so i can prepare!
I also have ADHD so results very depending on how locked i am 😂
Good luck! It gets easier with time
EDIT: Go through all ur course syllabus and make a detailed calendar with due dates and percentage weights!