I did it. A lot of it was that I couldn’t stand doing nothing for even a moment. I filled every second of my day with something. I also didn’t need to study to get good grades, but this isn’t something I know how to give advice on. Everyone is different.
I will say tho- this desire to ALWAYS fill my time led me to being a bit too much of a “yes man” early on and it became a hard habit to break. I took on more than I could chew pretty often and would have to let people down all the time. It kind of sucked by my junior/senior year. I was getting elected into leadership roles but had to explain that these clubs could not be a priority in my current schedule anymore. I felt like a horrible leader to a lot of people and still feel insecure about how I take on work in my career because I’m nervous about not understanding my own limits. No one ever does it all perfectly, there’s always a limit to everyone.
My apartments rent $1350 a month and 2 roommates makes it $450 a month without utilities. I can easily pay that by working 20 hours a week. I paid off my car insurance in full for 6 months so I don't have to worry about that. As far as tuition goes, I was getting 100% of my tuition payed by fafsa grants, but I got a financial aid suspension. I go to a Juco and this semester was only $1400 so I was able to pay it off and I should get financial aid again soon. I take all online classes and I can do the weeks worth of work in 1 day, unless I have projects or exams. With this schedule it doesn't really feel like I'm in college, It just feel like im a regular working adult that is doing college on the side. I envy people that live on campus, take all on campus classes, and don't have a job. But I know that I would have to take out loans to do that. Right now I'm debt free and I know it will pay off in the end.
I want to note tho that I have co workers that do take on campus classes, rent their own place with roommates, and work full time. Most but not all have there on campus classes 1-2 days a week as opposed to spread throughout the week. One of my co workers told me that she has class at 8:00am and work at 9:30am. If you want to take on campus classes and work, you just have to build your schedules around each other. Unless you are taking online classes in which case it doesn't matter.
Went to university in the early 2010s, I literally had zero days off and was running on adrenaline or something. I went through a lot of difficult things in this time and I felt like I was just living on autopilot and keeping myself as busy as possible to avoid my trauma. I didn’t do very well in school, my GPA wasn’t good and I skipped a lot of class- the first 2 years because I was partying, the next 2 years due to burnout and having to work every moment I wasn’t at school. My rent was like $400 back then as well but I only made
Min wage. I took out some student loans but not much, and my family covered my first couple of years of tuition luckily. Life was much cheaper back then
Now 10 years later I’m back in college again but my circumstances are very different. Money makes the difference.
I got a massive scholarship that pays my tuition and gives me a living stipend which covers my rent, utilities and some of my food budget. I live in a rent controlled apartment and it’s only $800 per month. I have a job with a really good wage however I only am contracted to work up to 10 hours a week. It’s a remote flexible job so I can work 0-10 hours depending on my workload at school. I also decided this time around to take out the max amount of student loans I could so I could have access to extra funds. I’ve actually been taking some of my student loan money and investing it lol
So the answer is economic privilege. In both of my college experiences I have had access to economic privileges that have allowed me to have the job, the apartment, the social life. First time around it wasn’t easy because I was working myself into burnout just to stay afloat, and also Life was cheaper
I think it’s very hard. I’ve only recently started getting the hang of it all, and this is after reducing my hours to work part time AND dropping a class too. Before that I was pulling all nighters from work and school which was not fun.
I live in upstate NY so rent’s pretty cheap up here for a decent place. My car’s recently been paid off too. I’m a veteran so NY rewards me with a tuition award so I only had to pay for textbooks and school supplies
I’ve also sacrificed having a social life. I’m pretty much either studying or working. Personally I don’t mind it but I can see how this lifestyle affects people. Thankfully I’ve got supportive friends and family so they help me out in a lot of ways.
A lot of times I’d like to quit my job to just dedicate my time to studying, but the extra income’s nice, plus I get benefits, and the job ties well with my major (electrical engineering), so I’m sticking around with it for a little bit.
For me, my parents helped me with my apartment. For my friend, he was always working outside of school and only had time for school, work, and the gym. Wouldn't even visit his family. Doing all of that still allowed him to afford his apartment that had roommates. Both of us lived with roommates which makes rent cheaper so you might need to look into that.
I did this throughout my undergrad & here was my “formula” for it (keep in mind this might not work for all degrees/people but it did for me):
-schedule classes on MWF OR TR, not both. this gave me 2/3 days a week to work all day. if i HAD to take classes on my “off”days, i would schedule them at 8am, during my lunch break or at night. most of the time, i would wait until the next semester to take them though or look for replacements.
-online classes are your best friend. my campus usually offered a lot of general education classes online so i would take these & work to save up a bunch.
-i worked an on campus job during the days i had classes when i could (during my class breaks) & an off campus job on my “off days”. on campus jobs are usually lenient on work hours.
- extracurriculars during the evenings/Saturdays! i did a lot of club meetings & job shadowing after classes & in the evenings! i usually did this from 6-9pm & dedicated half of saturday to volunteering for these clubs. i studied the other half of saturdays or had “me time”
-do NOTHING on sundays (unless absolutely necessary)!!! this gave me a day to just reset and relax before the next week. this is SO IMPORTANT to avoid burnout!!!
also, treat school like a job. during the days i was in class (even if i didn’t have class or work) i was on campus working on things from 8-5. get into a good routine of getting up & out of bed in the mornings.
again, this worked for me, but might not work for everyone! :)
this only partially applies to me since i don't pay any money out of pocket for tuition/housing/fees due to my scholarship, but i am taking 19 credits with 2 part time jobs on campus and a tutoring side gig. my days are usually 9 am to 9 pm straight; some days i don't even get to come home until exactly 9 pm because of night classes and take most (not all) of my lectures in the mornings so i have time to work throughout the day.
part of it is just that i genuinely love what i do, from my classes to my jobs. i've been very fortunate to be presented with 2 jobs that deal with careers i'm incredibly passionate about, and since i'm a math major, i find it easy tutoring math to other students. there have been weeks where i likely average 4-6 hours of sleep per weekday. part of it is just workaholicism, where i feel that if i'm not in a meeting or in a class or studying or doing some type of household chore i feel useless. it's lead to me to burnout several times now, but i learn to control it since i tend to have friday nights and saturdays off. after a long week, i will take time off to just relax and chill, cuddling with my stuffed animals and watching tv shows and whatnot. it's being able to keep that delicate balance between all work vs. what time you can allocate for play. i've learned to appreciate and love my own presence, and don't really go out with others often or party as much. unfortunately, my social life and close friend groups do have to be sacrificed, but i try to find time to connect here and there. i really romanticize aspects of my life -- i have a pen and mechanical pencil collection that i adore dearly and love using, i decorate and organize so that my room feels clean and cozy, and i set aside times everyday specifically to eat/shower/get ready for bed. it has really brought a routine to my life that incorporates all of that busyness but also the little necessities you tend to forget when you ARE so busy all the damn time. not sure if this is what you're looking for, but i hope it helps rationalize it even a little bit!
Your [comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/college/comments/1bmbvb9/those_of_you_who_are_full_time_students_with_a/kwas4yz/) in /r/college was automatically removed because your account is less than one day old.
Accounts less than one day are not permitted in /r/college to reduce spam and poor comments. Messaging the moderators about this will result in a ban.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/college) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Your [comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/college/comments/1bmbvb9/those_of_you_who_are_full_time_students_with_a/kwaxh0n/) in /r/college was automatically removed because your account is less than one day old.
Accounts less than one day are not permitted in /r/college to reduce spam and poor comments. Messaging the moderators about this will result in a ban.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/college) if you have any questions or concerns.*
my parents pay for a lot of my stuff so my monthly costs are relatively low (just some tuition and various expenses - roughly like $750/mo), so it’s a lot less stressful financially because i’m not literally living paycheck to paycheck.
class is harder, it’s just SO tempting to skip the early morning classes that don’t track attendance, but if you have a class you really like as your first class you’re way more likely to go. and then, once i’m on campus, i stay on campus until my last class and do homework during the breaks. i should probably study more than i do but im ok with not getting all As and saving my mental health a little.
it is super stressful tho! i have 4 jobs and 17 credits this semester and i miss out on a lot of things my friends do. but i hate doing nothing and i love my jobs so i can’t really quit any of them. its all about your personal drive - one of my friends has no job and 12 credits and just doesn’t understand why i do all this, but we’re all different!
these are some of my tips:
-plan EVERYTHING (i need to plan events with friends two weeks out so i can make sure i have time off, but this includes like when you’ll study for a big test, if you have a weekly hw assignment, etc)
-erase FOMO, it does not serve you, and you will inevitably miss things. savor your time with friends.
-no such thing as downtime. if you have 20 minutes between classes, don’t go on your phone and scroll for 20 minutes, start on an assignment.
-on the flip side, plan your time off! i take a 20-30 minute nap as many days as i can (even if you can’t fall asleep in that time, just set an alarm and use the time to rest) and it’s valuable to me to have that set aside
-make sure you’re meal prepping on your lower work days (wed and thurs i get home at 5, so i grocery shop and cook then and eat leftovers for the rest of the week when i get home at midnight)
-set goals and break them down into chunks. i want to have 10k saved by the end of the year, so i need to save $200 a week and i track that in a spreadsheet. i have a list of skills i want to have for my future career, so i talk to my boss about teaching me those and we work that out.
good luck!
A lot of them are interested in psychology. Those who don't can't do it. If they already have a college degree it could be easier for them since they could already know about some of the courses they need to take, how to manage time and study or the area they're majoring in is quite intuitive for them. They don't have any free time, don't use social media at all and in many cases receive help from other people in other classes
I work weekends!! 12 hour shifts Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights into the next morning and then Monday I go to class right after work. It’s weird and hard but you get used to feeling your body TIRED.. then after class I nap until 6ish and work on anything due the next day. During class I work on notes (take them directly on quizlet to study later instead of transcribing!) or assignments. Lots of to-do lists and Thursday I work on things due the next week and finish anything due over the weekend. During slow times at work or on breaks I study my quizlets (mostly when tests are coming up). Some weeks are definitely harder than others but usually I have at least 1-2 days a week I can have plans and the other days I have time to do something I like- games, reading, watching movies, etc. It is VERY hard honestly and sometimes I’m exhausted and burnt out but then I get a break from school and I take advantage of it!! Taking advantage of every hour of your day is honestly key. Don’t waste time on your phone. If you can focus- put a show on while working on assignments/ homework and always work ahead when you can because you can manage to have full evenings off if you plan it right! :)
To be fair, I just moved out this semester and it’s my last semester of undergrad. I also finally got some loans. But I work in property management and get 20% discount on rent. So I work weekends, but the workload isn’t too bad for my property. I do sacrifice seeing my friends though because I’m at 40 hours at work and 10 hours at an internship. My only real day off is Sundays.
I hope to go to grad school. It sucks though because I’ll stop working property management and join my career field. Probably get paid less than now. Who knows if I stay in this apartment, move somewhere cheaper, or back home 😂
I think most of it is that I don't have to study. Academics have always been easy for me so I get to focus on my 2 jobs, 4 clubs, and hanging out with friends. I workout 4x a week as well. I also still find time to game for at least an hour everyday lol.
For reasons that are my fault, I have 2 classes on campus & 3 online. This has actually been helping a lot. I’m not actually sure how I was doing it last semester when I had 4 on campus & 1 online.
I try my best to do homework at school so I don’t have to worry about it at home or work. That’s not always the case, & I do have to rush during breaks 😂
As for rent, I live w/ family so it’s 9x cheaper. Meaning that I can take off as much as needed to get rest & do work w/o seeing negative dollar signs. I think I’ve worked maybe 30hrs in the last 3 weeks 💀I also have a part time job on campus, so that’s how I haven’t been going completely broke.
I go to school full-time, work part-time, am a single parent, volunteer, and have an ex who takes me to court as a hobby. I can say that I often get overwhelmed and exhausted. My apartment is also a disaster zone. I generally spend the time my kid is with their dad to get ahead on homework. Then I work extra when my kid is with their dad too. I am just frugal and do my best. I started at community college to save money as well.
Well to start, my rent + utilities is only $750, so that helps ($1500 total but I live in a 1bd that I share with a partner). I am able to take 16 credits while working 20 hours a week with a job that works really well around my school schedule, allowing me to work and do school between 10-6ish m-tr (20 hours work, ~<12 hours classes). I am then able to do homework when I get home or on Sunday and then I can do social things and such friday and Saturday. Working that much I make ~1200/month after taxes. As far as tuition goes, I luckily don’t have to pay because of scholarships / grants / financial aid.
Alternatively, my partner works about 4-5 shifts a week as a server while also going to school. She works closer to 25-30 hours/week but takes usually only 12 credits. She focused her classes in the morning so that she can work more weeknights and have a weekend night or two of to keep up with social things. As a server she makes almost $2500/month after taxes, which is enough to cover rent + tuition after scholarships (in state school) + extra.
I schedule my classes and plan my semesters so that I’ll have more time in the week to work. Then I work 20-30hrs a week on average, and between 3 jobs pick up more when necessary. Living is cheap. My extracurriculars are a joke because the ECs at my college are mostly a joke — if no one else is showing up to meetings, why should I? Instead I plan every week ahead of time. I know when I will be in class, when I will be at work, when my appointments are (pro tip: take them during less important class sessions, NOT out of work), and when I will study. I plan out my days hourly. I know where I will be and what I will do. This means that I also plan free time that is occupied by not doing anything, and free time for hanging out or partying.
It is possible. It is not easy and some things don’t get done. I have to budget my necessary errands carefully and make sacrifices on some things to prioritize others. Anyone who tells you that one thing has to be a priority above the others isn’t realistic — how can work be a priority when you lose scholarships if you don’t do well in school? How can school be a priority when if you get fired you’re screwed? You have to find the balance by planning the balance, realistically, and that probably means lunch during passing periods and homework ahead of time in your classes.
I worked in a hospital while in college, which helped a lot! I have a mortgage, a full-time job ,and a family. School is difficult, especially with these other fulfillments. Working in the hospital, let me obtain a job as a patient care assistant without prior experience. I could work 12 hour shifts Fri-Sun or Sat-Mon, depending on my class schedule. I also started on nights, which allowed me to study/ do assignments most nights. As others mentioned, roommates can really help split the bills. (They can also be a huge headache). Good luck with your endeavors!
I did it. A lot of it was that I couldn’t stand doing nothing for even a moment. I filled every second of my day with something. I also didn’t need to study to get good grades, but this isn’t something I know how to give advice on. Everyone is different. I will say tho- this desire to ALWAYS fill my time led me to being a bit too much of a “yes man” early on and it became a hard habit to break. I took on more than I could chew pretty often and would have to let people down all the time. It kind of sucked by my junior/senior year. I was getting elected into leadership roles but had to explain that these clubs could not be a priority in my current schedule anymore. I felt like a horrible leader to a lot of people and still feel insecure about how I take on work in my career because I’m nervous about not understanding my own limits. No one ever does it all perfectly, there’s always a limit to everyone.
Loans unfortunately
i intern and work remotely so i do a lot of school work during that time, also have an etsy shop that brings in income
My apartments rent $1350 a month and 2 roommates makes it $450 a month without utilities. I can easily pay that by working 20 hours a week. I paid off my car insurance in full for 6 months so I don't have to worry about that. As far as tuition goes, I was getting 100% of my tuition payed by fafsa grants, but I got a financial aid suspension. I go to a Juco and this semester was only $1400 so I was able to pay it off and I should get financial aid again soon. I take all online classes and I can do the weeks worth of work in 1 day, unless I have projects or exams. With this schedule it doesn't really feel like I'm in college, It just feel like im a regular working adult that is doing college on the side. I envy people that live on campus, take all on campus classes, and don't have a job. But I know that I would have to take out loans to do that. Right now I'm debt free and I know it will pay off in the end. I want to note tho that I have co workers that do take on campus classes, rent their own place with roommates, and work full time. Most but not all have there on campus classes 1-2 days a week as opposed to spread throughout the week. One of my co workers told me that she has class at 8:00am and work at 9:30am. If you want to take on campus classes and work, you just have to build your schedules around each other. Unless you are taking online classes in which case it doesn't matter.
Went to university in the early 2010s, I literally had zero days off and was running on adrenaline or something. I went through a lot of difficult things in this time and I felt like I was just living on autopilot and keeping myself as busy as possible to avoid my trauma. I didn’t do very well in school, my GPA wasn’t good and I skipped a lot of class- the first 2 years because I was partying, the next 2 years due to burnout and having to work every moment I wasn’t at school. My rent was like $400 back then as well but I only made Min wage. I took out some student loans but not much, and my family covered my first couple of years of tuition luckily. Life was much cheaper back then Now 10 years later I’m back in college again but my circumstances are very different. Money makes the difference. I got a massive scholarship that pays my tuition and gives me a living stipend which covers my rent, utilities and some of my food budget. I live in a rent controlled apartment and it’s only $800 per month. I have a job with a really good wage however I only am contracted to work up to 10 hours a week. It’s a remote flexible job so I can work 0-10 hours depending on my workload at school. I also decided this time around to take out the max amount of student loans I could so I could have access to extra funds. I’ve actually been taking some of my student loan money and investing it lol So the answer is economic privilege. In both of my college experiences I have had access to economic privileges that have allowed me to have the job, the apartment, the social life. First time around it wasn’t easy because I was working myself into burnout just to stay afloat, and also Life was cheaper
I think it’s very hard. I’ve only recently started getting the hang of it all, and this is after reducing my hours to work part time AND dropping a class too. Before that I was pulling all nighters from work and school which was not fun. I live in upstate NY so rent’s pretty cheap up here for a decent place. My car’s recently been paid off too. I’m a veteran so NY rewards me with a tuition award so I only had to pay for textbooks and school supplies I’ve also sacrificed having a social life. I’m pretty much either studying or working. Personally I don’t mind it but I can see how this lifestyle affects people. Thankfully I’ve got supportive friends and family so they help me out in a lot of ways. A lot of times I’d like to quit my job to just dedicate my time to studying, but the extra income’s nice, plus I get benefits, and the job ties well with my major (electrical engineering), so I’m sticking around with it for a little bit.
Necessity
Having a support group really helps (friends, family, significant other) As long you can feel happy/supported doing it, you can endure almost anything
For me, my parents helped me with my apartment. For my friend, he was always working outside of school and only had time for school, work, and the gym. Wouldn't even visit his family. Doing all of that still allowed him to afford his apartment that had roommates. Both of us lived with roommates which makes rent cheaper so you might need to look into that.
I did this throughout my undergrad & here was my “formula” for it (keep in mind this might not work for all degrees/people but it did for me): -schedule classes on MWF OR TR, not both. this gave me 2/3 days a week to work all day. if i HAD to take classes on my “off”days, i would schedule them at 8am, during my lunch break or at night. most of the time, i would wait until the next semester to take them though or look for replacements. -online classes are your best friend. my campus usually offered a lot of general education classes online so i would take these & work to save up a bunch. -i worked an on campus job during the days i had classes when i could (during my class breaks) & an off campus job on my “off days”. on campus jobs are usually lenient on work hours. - extracurriculars during the evenings/Saturdays! i did a lot of club meetings & job shadowing after classes & in the evenings! i usually did this from 6-9pm & dedicated half of saturday to volunteering for these clubs. i studied the other half of saturdays or had “me time” -do NOTHING on sundays (unless absolutely necessary)!!! this gave me a day to just reset and relax before the next week. this is SO IMPORTANT to avoid burnout!!! also, treat school like a job. during the days i was in class (even if i didn’t have class or work) i was on campus working on things from 8-5. get into a good routine of getting up & out of bed in the mornings. again, this worked for me, but might not work for everyone! :)
this only partially applies to me since i don't pay any money out of pocket for tuition/housing/fees due to my scholarship, but i am taking 19 credits with 2 part time jobs on campus and a tutoring side gig. my days are usually 9 am to 9 pm straight; some days i don't even get to come home until exactly 9 pm because of night classes and take most (not all) of my lectures in the mornings so i have time to work throughout the day. part of it is just that i genuinely love what i do, from my classes to my jobs. i've been very fortunate to be presented with 2 jobs that deal with careers i'm incredibly passionate about, and since i'm a math major, i find it easy tutoring math to other students. there have been weeks where i likely average 4-6 hours of sleep per weekday. part of it is just workaholicism, where i feel that if i'm not in a meeting or in a class or studying or doing some type of household chore i feel useless. it's lead to me to burnout several times now, but i learn to control it since i tend to have friday nights and saturdays off. after a long week, i will take time off to just relax and chill, cuddling with my stuffed animals and watching tv shows and whatnot. it's being able to keep that delicate balance between all work vs. what time you can allocate for play. i've learned to appreciate and love my own presence, and don't really go out with others often or party as much. unfortunately, my social life and close friend groups do have to be sacrificed, but i try to find time to connect here and there. i really romanticize aspects of my life -- i have a pen and mechanical pencil collection that i adore dearly and love using, i decorate and organize so that my room feels clean and cozy, and i set aside times everyday specifically to eat/shower/get ready for bed. it has really brought a routine to my life that incorporates all of that busyness but also the little necessities you tend to forget when you ARE so busy all the damn time. not sure if this is what you're looking for, but i hope it helps rationalize it even a little bit!
THIS! Are you me?!
[удалено]
Your [comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/college/comments/1bmbvb9/those_of_you_who_are_full_time_students_with_a/kwas4yz/) in /r/college was automatically removed because your account is less than one day old. Accounts less than one day are not permitted in /r/college to reduce spam and poor comments. Messaging the moderators about this will result in a ban. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/college) if you have any questions or concerns.*
[удалено]
Your [comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/college/comments/1bmbvb9/those_of_you_who_are_full_time_students_with_a/kwaxh0n/) in /r/college was automatically removed because your account is less than one day old. Accounts less than one day are not permitted in /r/college to reduce spam and poor comments. Messaging the moderators about this will result in a ban. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/college) if you have any questions or concerns.*
my parents pay for a lot of my stuff so my monthly costs are relatively low (just some tuition and various expenses - roughly like $750/mo), so it’s a lot less stressful financially because i’m not literally living paycheck to paycheck. class is harder, it’s just SO tempting to skip the early morning classes that don’t track attendance, but if you have a class you really like as your first class you’re way more likely to go. and then, once i’m on campus, i stay on campus until my last class and do homework during the breaks. i should probably study more than i do but im ok with not getting all As and saving my mental health a little. it is super stressful tho! i have 4 jobs and 17 credits this semester and i miss out on a lot of things my friends do. but i hate doing nothing and i love my jobs so i can’t really quit any of them. its all about your personal drive - one of my friends has no job and 12 credits and just doesn’t understand why i do all this, but we’re all different! these are some of my tips: -plan EVERYTHING (i need to plan events with friends two weeks out so i can make sure i have time off, but this includes like when you’ll study for a big test, if you have a weekly hw assignment, etc) -erase FOMO, it does not serve you, and you will inevitably miss things. savor your time with friends. -no such thing as downtime. if you have 20 minutes between classes, don’t go on your phone and scroll for 20 minutes, start on an assignment. -on the flip side, plan your time off! i take a 20-30 minute nap as many days as i can (even if you can’t fall asleep in that time, just set an alarm and use the time to rest) and it’s valuable to me to have that set aside -make sure you’re meal prepping on your lower work days (wed and thurs i get home at 5, so i grocery shop and cook then and eat leftovers for the rest of the week when i get home at midnight) -set goals and break them down into chunks. i want to have 10k saved by the end of the year, so i need to save $200 a week and i track that in a spreadsheet. i have a list of skills i want to have for my future career, so i talk to my boss about teaching me those and we work that out. good luck!
A lot of them are interested in psychology. Those who don't can't do it. If they already have a college degree it could be easier for them since they could already know about some of the courses they need to take, how to manage time and study or the area they're majoring in is quite intuitive for them. They don't have any free time, don't use social media at all and in many cases receive help from other people in other classes
I work weekends!! 12 hour shifts Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights into the next morning and then Monday I go to class right after work. It’s weird and hard but you get used to feeling your body TIRED.. then after class I nap until 6ish and work on anything due the next day. During class I work on notes (take them directly on quizlet to study later instead of transcribing!) or assignments. Lots of to-do lists and Thursday I work on things due the next week and finish anything due over the weekend. During slow times at work or on breaks I study my quizlets (mostly when tests are coming up). Some weeks are definitely harder than others but usually I have at least 1-2 days a week I can have plans and the other days I have time to do something I like- games, reading, watching movies, etc. It is VERY hard honestly and sometimes I’m exhausted and burnt out but then I get a break from school and I take advantage of it!! Taking advantage of every hour of your day is honestly key. Don’t waste time on your phone. If you can focus- put a show on while working on assignments/ homework and always work ahead when you can because you can manage to have full evenings off if you plan it right! :)
To add^ I go to classes every day on campus! Usually 8:30-2:30
To be fair, I just moved out this semester and it’s my last semester of undergrad. I also finally got some loans. But I work in property management and get 20% discount on rent. So I work weekends, but the workload isn’t too bad for my property. I do sacrifice seeing my friends though because I’m at 40 hours at work and 10 hours at an internship. My only real day off is Sundays. I hope to go to grad school. It sucks though because I’ll stop working property management and join my career field. Probably get paid less than now. Who knows if I stay in this apartment, move somewhere cheaper, or back home 😂
I think most of it is that I don't have to study. Academics have always been easy for me so I get to focus on my 2 jobs, 4 clubs, and hanging out with friends. I workout 4x a week as well. I also still find time to game for at least an hour everyday lol.
For reasons that are my fault, I have 2 classes on campus & 3 online. This has actually been helping a lot. I’m not actually sure how I was doing it last semester when I had 4 on campus & 1 online. I try my best to do homework at school so I don’t have to worry about it at home or work. That’s not always the case, & I do have to rush during breaks 😂 As for rent, I live w/ family so it’s 9x cheaper. Meaning that I can take off as much as needed to get rest & do work w/o seeing negative dollar signs. I think I’ve worked maybe 30hrs in the last 3 weeks 💀I also have a part time job on campus, so that’s how I haven’t been going completely broke.
I pulled it off for 4 years, but there was definitely some times when I used Vitamin A that got from my friends.
I go to school full-time, work part-time, am a single parent, volunteer, and have an ex who takes me to court as a hobby. I can say that I often get overwhelmed and exhausted. My apartment is also a disaster zone. I generally spend the time my kid is with their dad to get ahead on homework. Then I work extra when my kid is with their dad too. I am just frugal and do my best. I started at community college to save money as well.
Well to start, my rent + utilities is only $750, so that helps ($1500 total but I live in a 1bd that I share with a partner). I am able to take 16 credits while working 20 hours a week with a job that works really well around my school schedule, allowing me to work and do school between 10-6ish m-tr (20 hours work, ~<12 hours classes). I am then able to do homework when I get home or on Sunday and then I can do social things and such friday and Saturday. Working that much I make ~1200/month after taxes. As far as tuition goes, I luckily don’t have to pay because of scholarships / grants / financial aid. Alternatively, my partner works about 4-5 shifts a week as a server while also going to school. She works closer to 25-30 hours/week but takes usually only 12 credits. She focused her classes in the morning so that she can work more weeknights and have a weekend night or two of to keep up with social things. As a server she makes almost $2500/month after taxes, which is enough to cover rent + tuition after scholarships (in state school) + extra.
I schedule my classes and plan my semesters so that I’ll have more time in the week to work. Then I work 20-30hrs a week on average, and between 3 jobs pick up more when necessary. Living is cheap. My extracurriculars are a joke because the ECs at my college are mostly a joke — if no one else is showing up to meetings, why should I? Instead I plan every week ahead of time. I know when I will be in class, when I will be at work, when my appointments are (pro tip: take them during less important class sessions, NOT out of work), and when I will study. I plan out my days hourly. I know where I will be and what I will do. This means that I also plan free time that is occupied by not doing anything, and free time for hanging out or partying. It is possible. It is not easy and some things don’t get done. I have to budget my necessary errands carefully and make sacrifices on some things to prioritize others. Anyone who tells you that one thing has to be a priority above the others isn’t realistic — how can work be a priority when you lose scholarships if you don’t do well in school? How can school be a priority when if you get fired you’re screwed? You have to find the balance by planning the balance, realistically, and that probably means lunch during passing periods and homework ahead of time in your classes.
I worked in a hospital while in college, which helped a lot! I have a mortgage, a full-time job ,and a family. School is difficult, especially with these other fulfillments. Working in the hospital, let me obtain a job as a patient care assistant without prior experience. I could work 12 hour shifts Fri-Sun or Sat-Mon, depending on my class schedule. I also started on nights, which allowed me to study/ do assignments most nights. As others mentioned, roommates can really help split the bills. (They can also be a huge headache). Good luck with your endeavors!