Working with study: a guide to survival

It is spring term on Warwick campus and there’s a lot to be thankful for; the days are getting lighter, the trees are once again growing leaves and maintenance loans have been reinstated.

Ka-ching, indeed. If you listen carefully, you can practically hear the collective sigh of relief. On second thoughts, it could just be the faint murmurings of my overdraft’s cries of dread for the financial toll that’s about to come. And let’s face it- you know times are tough when a Money section writer resorts to writing out sentences that could easily be misconstrued for Marilyn Manson’s lyrics. Financing a university degree can be problematic, to put it lightly, so it comes as no surprise that a recent survey found that over 50% of students are employed in part-time work in order to raise cash. With this in mind, here is the ultimate preparation guide for the realities of juggling paid work with academia, with a few helpful tips, along the way.

Chris Zacharia, an MA student, spent Autumn Term juggling two jobs whilst working towards his MA in History and Politics, full time. One of his jobs was at Warwick University’s very own ‘student calling’, which he found through the helpful recruitment agency ‘unitemps’, whom he’d recommend to anyone interested in seeking part-time employment. Up until the Christmas, he simultaneously worked in a toyshop in Leamington Spa. When asked what motivated him to take on two jobs at once, Chris explains that his status as a postgraduate student meant that he was no longer eligible for grants or scholarships; “I knew I needed to find a regular income to make up for it. Like most of the mavericks, I spend most of the money I earn on rent and food”.

Whilst he admits that part-time employment has no doubt made him more attractive to future employees, along with affording him a good work ethic, Chris is refreshingly honest about the realities of juggling work and academia. The most pain staking issue was that of time: “My shifts would clash with my lectures and seminars. Every week I’d miss at least one or two of my contact hours – and I only have around seven hours in total. Coming back from a shift, it was really difficult to find the energy to study, to catch up on what I’d missed by being at work. So I would do less seminar reading, and inevitably found the seminars less enjoyable.” Although academic departments offer personal tutors, along with the Student Union’s additional resources of student advice and counselling, Chris’ own experience was less positive: “One week, my seminar tutor asked me why I hadn’t done the reading; I apologised, explaining that I’d been working a lot over that week, and hadn’t found the time”, and in turn “She shrugged and told me not to apologise, because ultimately it was my money I was wasting”.

On another occasion he handed in his essay “only a few minutes past the deadline. I explained to the secretary my situation, and asked her to sympathise. She shrugged and said I should have considered a part-time degree. It would be difficult to describe my department as supportive.” It is palpable that Chris felt let down by his department on several basis’s; meanwhile, allowances made to students with jobs differ according to where you situate yourself on the debate of whether to view education as a basic necessity owed to people or a privilege that functions merely as a commodity, where the intricacies funding is of limited interest to the market on which it is traded.

Turning to the emotional and psychological consequences of partaking in work, whilst Chris found the transition between work and academia to be harmonious and, at times, a refreshing one, he also warns that the juggle of the two can bring about disillusionment. He admits “It felt strange. I was working so hard yet I knew that I would still finish my Master’s with £20,000 of debt. I felt like I was jeopardising my degree in order to pay for it, and there were times when the whole thing felt absurd and pointless.” Worse still, he admitted, “I was working to pay for my degree, but because I was working I was falling behind and not enjoying it. So what was the point of being at university? It made me feel bitter towards the education system.”

Nevertheless, it’s not all bleak; Chris seems positive that with a few amendments, working whilst studying could be an all round positive experience. For one, “I’d probably take on less, in general” ensuring that your part time job doesn’t come at the cost your degree. In fact, often this is made easier by Chris’ next piece of advice: “Try to find a job on campus – it means you spend more time around students, and near the library”, adding that “from my experience, employers on campus tend to be much more sympathetic to your having to juggle a degree with employment than ordinary employers.” In order to maintain control, adopt a proactive, organised stance to time management; be realistic and have a “I’m doing to get this done now” mentality; in doing so you will strike the right balance between present financial reward and the long term investment of time.

Juggling a job with academic work is tough, but the financial and emotional rewards are there so long as you are realistic, find a balance that works for you, seek a job that understands your needs and you maintain a transparent relationship with your employer and academic department. Do that and you really will have a spring in your step and a lot to be thankful for.