As a working class, sometimes you are torn between making money and getting another degree or certificate. The bone of contention is, how can you work full time and still study? Is it even possible? What are the available options that allow working full-time and studying go together? What must you do? In this article, we would explore possible ways of working full time and studying, using real-life experience. First of all, I don’t like to do aproko. So you would have to promise not to tell any other person what I am about telling you. LoL, just kidding there. You can share with friends and family. Let’s hear your perspective, send us a message.
Operation full-time students must not work
We were about 10 friends who obtained a Master’s degree programme form. 8 out of us were offered provisional admission to study at the University. We had barely done 4 weeks before we started having the urge to differ our admission. We discovered it wasn’t as easy as we had thought.
Interestingly, the University rules and regulations forbid full-time students from working. But, hellooooooo! Bills don’t care whether you are studying or not, they keep coming in. I mean really hard! Things started getting funny when one of us decided to quit her job, to focus on academics. As we proceeded a little more, another 3 differed their admission and decided to focus on the hustle. “At least we fit get Pali anytime”. Meanwhile, in all of this uncertainty, Jay, one of us had been processing how to Japa from Naija. He only decided to apply for the local programme here. In his words, “Just to while away time…” Eventually, he got a scholarship to study abroad and left.
The road to working full time and studying
At this point, we were 3 left, still working. 2 are self-employed and have total control of their time, but I didn’t. I started contemplating on what to do. I wrote both a resignation letter and a letter to differ my admission. Funny right! It was that tough for me to decide. Guess what? I didn’t quit any. But ever since then, it has been volumes of up and down. I didn’t quit any. But ever since then, it has been volumes of up and down. Is it the multiple times I was ejected from classes because I couldn’t make it ontime? Stabbing classes cause of work almost became routine. Then my work, I had missed hours at work, cause I was trying to meet the deadline given for some assignments/term papers. Until I discovered these methods.
Read further as I share what I have had to learn to cope. In the end, you should have been able to decode, whether it is possible to study and work? What you must do for the two to go together?
Tell your Boss about it
Well, this is dicey. Some as you can already predict may pick drama with you. Offer you an option of resigning. While another may offer support and be happy to know that you are investing in upskilling and your own personal development. You need emotional intelligence to tell the kind your boss is. Whichever case, you need to communicate. Cause there are days you would need to take permissions. Other times they might help you when your workload seems overwhelming. If you are not on the same page. It won’t be easy to navigate.
Get stingy with your time when working and studying
The major challenge of working and studying will be how to manage a heavy workload and reading. One of the things you must do is learn time management. You must be a pro planner. Schedule everything and avoid procrastination. If you have always been a god or goddess of tomorrow. It is time to say goodbye to your godship. You have to plan class time, study time, work time etc. You just cannot but must be purposeful with your time. Check Why you need to plan. Every second counts.
Utilize your weekend break to cover-up
You know that weekend, yes, that one you always use to hang out with friends. It is time to put it on hold. Weaponize your weekend to cover up coming weeks tasks. This will enable you to free up space during the week to study. As you have reduced the workload during the weekend. You can even deploy that method to finish up tasks you have started during the week. Hence, the reason why you must communicate with your boss, to see if your workplan can be remodified to fit.
Multitask your way through – Virtual school way
The few times that I have been able to anchor my thoughts, around this topic. I thought, “virtual schooling”. Enrol to virtual school. At least it worked for me when the classes were virtual. At that time, I needed not to leave my house, prepare heavily, and spend scarce time transporting from one location to another. And most times, I am working as well as receiving lectures at the same time (Multitasking). Well, somebody might say that’s not very good. But that’s the thing with working full-time and studying. I guess you are going to have to be prepared to break a lot of norms.
Working Full time – Attend night school
For night school, you will have to sacrifice your resting time. Night school is not a popular trend yet. But it is an option for people working full time. Where you get to receive lectures in the evening. Especially, if it is done virtually. Alternatives to night school here are part-time school programmes, weekend school programmes, distant learning programmes. With a part-time study programme, students attend classes majorly on weekends. This means you get to work Monday to Friday.
There is almost no easy road to working full time and studying without sacrifice. Your bail out is using your goals and why you started to refuel yourself, to keep going.
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Thank you for reading to the end.
Cheers
Samuel
