Now that the 2019 school year is in full swing, is balancing school and work an issue amongst students? This can be difficult along with balancing social life, family time, and of course, time for relaxation.
Some things that students do to be successful are having priorities, creating schedules, and managing their time well.
“I look at what I have to complete for the week and I look at how long each assignment will take me, then I plan what times and days to complete these assignments. I prioritize the most important assignments first, and the easiest for last,” says FCC student Brendan Bernbaum.
Bernbaum works full-time. He says a great way to succeed in school is to prioritize. Do the assignments you want to push off first, because those are the ones that are difficult and time-consuming. It will feel rewarding once you complete those hard assignments. Then all you have are the easier assignments that will take you a shorter amount of time to complete.
FCC student Joe Killiam looks at things a little differently. He says, “No, not really! You just have to keep goals in mind and stay on your purpose. Although, I prioritize school rather than work because school will pay off in the long run.”
Killiam is able to prioritize his tasks. He is able to put the most important things first, such as school and work, and still have time to socialize and spend time with friends and family. Despite some days being tougher than others, he is able to keep a positive attitude and get things done.
“I would say it’s very hard to balance both. It’s hard for me because I can’t put all my effort into school knowing I have so many other things I have to do in one day,” says FCC student Zach Faust.
Faust works full time at Coal Fire. His duty at this job forces him to be one of the last people to leave the restaurant. It is hard coming home very late at night after a very long day, knowing that he has school work to complete, and knowing he must wake up and do the same thing every day.
However, there are ways to cope with feeling like a stressed-out mess from everything that needs to be done.
Come up with what works best for you – everyone has different ways of handling their work. Sometimes, you may have to adjust your schedule. If you have a lot of school work, talk to your boss, and they may be able to help you out.
FCC’s Counseling and Advising Office can help. Students can make appointments with advisors online. They can make face-to-face appointments, or get some advice by email. Go to the Counseling and Advising webpage at https://www.frederick.edu/student-resources/counseling-advising.aspx to make an appointment for some face-to-face advice, or to drop an email. Quick Question Advising is also available in Jefferson Hall. No appointment is needed, and students can drop by the Counseling and Advising Office on the second floor of Jefferson Hall to get some immediate feedback. Issues that need more attention can be determined at that time, and an advising appointment can be scheduled.
