Whether you’re studying part-time, fulltime or online, scheduling university study in with the rest of life makes for a busy routine. So the thought of throwing a job in the mix can often seem like a bit too much.
But having a part-time job while at university can give your mind a break from study as well as prepare you for the end of your degree.
Here’s five reasons every student should have a part time job:
- It provides social opportunities. Working is a great way to meet new people and develop relationships with people you share mutual interests with outside of university. Particularly if you’re living off campus or travel to university and don’t have the same social network as on campus students.
- You’re earning money. We all have a HECS debt to look forward to paying off after we graduate, so having a part-time job while at university can help you save that little bit extra to put towards your HECS loan. Likewise, a steady income can help make rent, amenities or a new winter jacket that bit more affordable.
- It creates space from study. Working is a good time to take your mind away from your assessments and allow you focus on other areas of life. Exercising or taking some ‘me time’ might be a physical break from study, but you’ll still have that prac exam niggling at the back of your mind. At work, you need to be fully focused on the tasks at hand and that means creating space and properly switching off from study.
- It prepares you for internships. More often than not, we manage to land our dream internship right in the middle of the session! Working throughout your degree can prepare you for managing a work/study routine which will help when you need two, three or four weeks away from uni for your placements.
- It prepares you for an actual job. While your hours at a part-time job might not be 9 until 5, you’re developing professional and people skills, and building the balance between work life and social life, whether you’re working in the same industry or not. These skills will help you when you graduate and enter your first industry job. They’ll also make you that little bit more employable!
