Learning to Juggle Work & School

W ith hours of classes, studying, and exams, being a student is a full-time job. In fact, students are often told by parents and professors that being a student is their full-time job, and they should treat it as such.

However, with the increasing cost of classes and rising living expenses, as well as daunting student loans, many students must work a part- or even full-time job to continue their schooling. So how do students juggle learning and working?

Adrienne Stolitca has been studying to become a physical therapist at UC for seven years. She’s now wrapping up her education and getting ready to embark on her career, but she’s really been working all along.

During her time as an undergraduate, Stolitca worked for UC’s Learning Commons as a tutor during the week and worked as a server on the weekends. While she says it was a struggle at times, she was able to balance it all with time management and prioritization.

“My biggest advice to students [in this situation] today is accepting the fact that sometimes you’ll have to miss out on doing fun things,” Stolitca says. “When you do have a break, make sure to take it and do fun things with your friends and family.”

Working while taking classes, in Stolitca’s experience, was common among students. She says about half of the people she knew had a job while in school, and the number rose every year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 42.4 percent of full-time college students and 81 percent of part-time college students “participate[d] in the labor force” (that is, worked ), in October of 2022.

Depending on their circumstance, it’s important for students to be prepared for the reality that school may not be their only job when they start college—and that it’s OK to slow your roll when you need to.

“If I were able to redo it, I would have slowed down and taken fewer classes at a time,” Stolitca says. “College and higher education will always be there. It is OK to take a break if you need one.”

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