How To Strike A Balance Between Working And Schooling
Everybody wants a brighter and better future for him or herself and most times to bring free form the shackles of poverty. Education is very important in any society and in the life of any individual that is why is seen as an agent of development and self reliance. Everyone therefore, seeks to be educated so as to be enlightened and a better future. But with education comes some sacrifices which could be in form of financial, moral, time, dedication, attention, and otherwise. But the financial aspect is the most important as virtually everything that has to do with been educated involves finance, you must have to spend money and lots of it. That is why we have the saying that “if you think education is expensive, try ignorant.” The financial aspect of education is what has stopped lots of young people form going to school because their parents or guardians cannot afford it. In some situation you see some young people who are so desperate about getting educated looking for menial jobs to do just to see themselves through school. They end up schooling and working at the same time. However, the idea of schooling and working at the same time might sound difficult or almost impossible to some undergraduate Nigerian students because of the stress that comes with attending lectures, doing assignments and private study. However, this notion may be correct but not impossible. Not every student is fortunate and lucky to come from wealthy or even average homes that afford to pay all their fees and meet their needs as well. Some students will have to work so hard by looking for a menial job or little business that requires little or no capital to start to see themselves through school. some of them their parent will have to go the extra miles like working overtime and doing just any decent job regardless of how it looks like or the perception of people about the work all in a bit to send their children to school and also keep them in school. Therefore, in most cases for students who come from such families that their parent value education but are not financially capacitated to sponsor them through school especially the higher institution, may decide to look for means to see themselves through school with the support of their parents. Some of them end up working not minding the amount paid as salary or they may decide to start up a little business that demands little capital to start all in a bid to be able to pay their bills in school. However, the situation that left some undergraduate students with the option of working and schooling at the same time can be stressful and also pose a threat to their academic performance as their attention will be divided between their jobs and school activities. They will not have enough time to study and even attend lectures. The divided attention and lack of time to study might affect their academic performance in a negative way. Therefore, it is important that for those students who work and school to understand that they need to strike a balance between their work and school. None should be left to suffer as both are very important. The work is needed to be able to pay school fees and other school requirements, same way the school is needed for a brighter future and societal development.
STUDENTS ECONOMIC STATUS
The economic status of students has to do with their family background. Some students come for a wealthy family, some average whole some come from poor families who can barely feed not to talk of sending their children to school especially the higher institution.
As a result of the poor economic status of students, they may be left with no other option than to resort to looking for jobs to support themselves through school unlike the children of the rich who have parents that are economically buoyant and can afford almost anything especially their educational fees. These economic difference that exist between students also have effect in their academic performance this is because children from wealthy homes most times are more stable, relax and pay more attention to their studies because they have nothing to worry about as regards their needs in school as against students from poor homes who have to work so hard to be able to pay school fees as a result may be distracted from their study. Some of them even get to loss focus along the way as some of them even have their family members depending on them for financial assistance.
WHY STUDENT WORK AND SCHOOL AT THE SAME TIME
There are many reasons why students work and school at the same time, but the most common reason is finance. Education is expensive if not you may want to try ignorance and know what it feels like. Nobody wants to be a mediocre and not want to have a better future for him/herself as well as contribute positively to the society. Therefore, it can be okay to say that “education is money.” Students working and schooling at the same time is mostly for students for come from poor homes where parents cannot afford to send them to school, they however, resort to helping themselves out in any little way they can even of it means doing menial jobs just to see themselves through school to be better persons and break the shackles of poverty and ignorant in the family.
Another reason why some students work and school is to support their families and themselves with the little their parents are able to afford and give to them. Sometimes, the money given to students by their parents may not be substantial enough to meet their needs, so they look for legal and decent ways to support themselves and families financially.
HOW TO STRIKE A BALANCE
Getting a job to support yourself in school is very good and a welcomed idea, but you must also understand that the reason of you been ion school must not be neglected, do not lose focus where you are trying to make some money for your education. If the reason you are school suffers or you are unable to achieve it at the end of the day, it becomes your loss and a wasted effort in the first place. Therefore it is very important that you try as much as possible to strike a balance and look for a landing ground between your school and work so that none suffers out of neglect, lack of time, and dedication. Below are some ways you can strike a balance between your work and school.
A) GET A JOB THAT INVOLVES SHIFT
Ione of the ways to strike a balance between your work and school is to get a job that involves shift that is night and day shift. While looking for a job to support yourself in school, have it in mind that you also need time to study in as much as you need the money to pay your fees and meet other needs. A shifting job is the best if you must work and school at the same this is because it will allow you some time to focus on your study, so that your academic performance don’t suffer along the line.
B) HIRE A WRITER FOR ASSIGNMENT HELP
Secondly, you can also choose to hire a writer for your assignments and also your undergraduate project topics. This option can be considered if you do not have enough time to study or sometimes miss lectures. However, you must understand that hiring a writer is not a room for you to be lazy and be aloof of all your academic activities as that is the reason why you are in school in the first place; the option of hiring a writer is just to assist you when the chips are down and you are behind schedule for submission of your assignment or undergraduate project work as a result of your work.
C) KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES IN SCHOOL
It is also very important that while you are working which may not give you all the time to attend lectures and other academic activities, you must endeavor to always keep in touch with your colleagues in school to keep you updated on the happenings in school especially as it regards your academics. Ask them questions like is there any assignment and date of submission, what course was taught and other relevant questions so that you don’t miss out on important academic activities.
D) EXPLAIN YOUR SITUATION TO YOUR DEPARTMENT HEAD
Explaining your situation to your department head is also another way to manage working and schooling at the same time. You should have a mutual relationship and always keep in touch with whoever is your departmental head so that he/ she can know when to cover up for you and also inform you of any important academic exercise.
E) LEARN TO MULTITASK
For any students who has chosen to work and school whether by choice or poor financial condition, must have it in mind that he/she has decided to multitask and be very good at it. It is important that you learn the multitasking skill as it will help you a great deal especially if you are working and schooling at the same. You will definitely need to attend to more than one thing as well as give attention to them all. The multitasking skill enables you to strike a balance between working and schooling as well ensuring either of them suffers.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, students who are not fortunate to come from financially buoyant homes and seek to support themselves in any little way they can must do so legally and decently. They must also understand that it will require them putting more efforts such as extra time, dedication, and attention to be able to strike a balance between their work and school. They must make sure to keep themselves abreast with whatever that is happening in their department and the school at large through keeping in touch with their colleagues. Make sure not to lose focus and reason why you are in school in the first place.