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Working during college?

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  • 14-08-2016 1:24pm
    #1
    Samurai12
    Registered Users Posts: 129 ✭✭


    So did you work during college?
    If so how hard was it to balance work with school?
    How many hours did you work a week?
    And how hard was it to find a job?
    Were you able to make your hours flexible because of lectures?
    Would you recommend working during college?

    I want to get a job as I am hopefully starting college in september but i will most likely be commuting so I want to work this year and hopefully save up enough money to add to SUSI and move out to campus next year. I live about 60 km from my college and I would have to be driven 5km each morning to the nearest small town so as to catch the bus at 6:45am. It is rather stressful and I would rather work now so i can hopefully move out next year.
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    #2
    Yoop
    Registered Users Posts: 92 ✭✭Yoop


    I worked 30 hours per week throughout my degree but I was lucky enough to have one or two full days off during the week every semester. I personally didn't find it difficult balancing work and college but it depends on what course you do, how many hours you have per week, how much you have to do at home, what kind of work you're doing, whether you have the personal discipline and motivation to do both etc.

    Basically, lots of students have jobs in college and lots don't. I would recommend it if you can manage it because it's a nice change from studying and lectures and extra money is always good. But everyone's situation is different and what suits one may not work for another. It sounds like you have pretty early starts in the morning so you'll have to factor in things like the time your journey to and from college is going to take out of your study/work time, are you going to be too tired after a couple of weeks etc.


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    #3
    eeguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,478 ✭✭✭eeguy


    Worked 20 hours a week for the first 3 1/2 years. Tough going, little social life, but financially independent and didn't want for anything.

    Saved 3k and quit after Christmas of my 4the year, to concentrate on the final semester. Got a professional job straight out of college.

    I was very lucky to have that job.


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    #4
    Samurai12
    Registered Users Posts: 129 ✭✭Samurai12


    What college did you guys go to and what did you work as, if you don't mind me asking? I will most likely be going to maynooth or UCD, and I am up for pretty much any job going that I can work around my timetable.


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    #5
    9de5q7tsr8u2im
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,888 ✭✭✭9de5q7tsr8u2im


    Samurai12 wrote: »
    What college did you guys go to and what did you work as, if you don't mind me asking? I will most likely be going to maynooth or UCD, and I am up for pretty much any job going that I can work around my timetable.

    since you are going to a university trust me your hours per week will be considerably low compared to people who go to institute of technologies, and i'm pretty sure almost most people finish very early on fridays!!


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    #6
    duffman13
    Registered Users Posts: 8,946 ✭✭✭duffman13


    I did 30-40 hours per week working because I had no other option really. I was commuting from Carlow to Dublin daily for 3 years and then in my last year reduced to 15 hours at the weekends and live on campus.

    I worked as a delivery driver for a couple of reasons mainly because it's was flexible and didn't start till the evening time.

    With balance though it was tough, it meant I struggled some days as I might only have say one class on a friday and the motivation and cost of a 200km commute would usually mean id end up using that Friday as my one day off. Didn't effect me too badly and then I had a decent wedge saved for my final year and could live relatively comfortably. I would say the motivation to go in on the shortest days was the hardest bit of it


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    #7
    eeguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,478 ✭✭✭eeguy


    Samurai12 wrote: »
    What college did you guys go to and what did you work as, if you don't mind me asking? I will most likely be going to maynooth or UCD, and I am up for pretty much any job going that I can work around my timetable.

    Best of luck with the hunt. My advice would be to start looking for jobs and houses as soon as you get your results.
    There'll be a huge push in the next month and the sooner you get started the better.


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    #8
    Yoop
    Registered Users Posts: 92 ✭✭Yoop


    Samurai12 wrote: »
    What college did you guys go to and what did you work as, if you don't mind me asking? I will most likely be going to maynooth or UCD, and I am up for pretty much any job going that I can work around my timetable.

    I went to UCC and worked as a waitress. I didn't live very far from either college or work so it was pretty handy.

    Also, colleges usually recruit students to work on campus and your hours would be scheduled around your timetable so that might be an idea for next year.

    Best of luck with the results!


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    #9
    TMJM96
    Registered Users Posts: 228 ✭✭TMJM96


    It depends on your course, I had 26-32 hours a week so I wasn't able to get work during the weekdays, however I had a weekend job to keep me going, everyone in my course was in a similar situation. Places wouldn't take me on for an evening weekday job which was somewhat annoying.

    I knew people who had 10-12 hours a week and would have had 1/2 days off of college a week so found it much easier to get weekday work along with weekend work.

    It can be difficult to get a work/life/college balance but it's all part of growing up and going to college. You'll be able to figure it out easily enough.

    Just realised how easy I had it compared to others, oh well.


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    #10
    NeonCookies
    Registered Users Posts: 509 ✭✭✭NeonCookies


    Samurai12 wrote:
    So did you work during college? If so how hard was it to balance work with school? How many hours did you work a week? And how hard was it to find a job? Were you able to make your hours flexible because of lectures? Would you recommend working during college?

    Samurai12 wrote:
    I want to get a job as I am hopefully starting college in september but i will most likely be commuting so I want to work this year and hopefully save up enough money to add to SUSI and move out to campus next year. I live about 60 km from my college and I would have to be driven 5km each morning to the nearest small town so as to catch the bus at 6:45am. It is rather stressful and I would rather work now so i can hopefully move out next year.


    I was basically in your exact position, long commute, lift to the bus, early morning start etc. I worked the whole way through university, about 25 hours a week in a supermarket. 2 evenings a week and full shifts on Saturday and Sunday. My course was light on hours though which meant I didn't often feel overly pressured despite often not getting home until midnight and back up at 6am. Once I started driving in 2nd year things got a bit easier.

    One thing I always made sure I did though was book time off around exams as soon as I knew my timetable. A lot of the students I worked with would wait until a few weeks beforehand to start asking for time off, whereas my days were all approved and I didn't need to worry about being in late the night before a 9am exam (I could be home cramming all night instead haha!) University should still be the priority.

    I loved that I always had money during college and had a great social life despite my busy schedule. In fact I had more money then than I do now!!


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    #11
    LegalLaaaaady
    Closed Accounts Posts: 33 ✭LegalLaaaaady


    I just worked around 25hours a week for the last 2 years of my undergraduate and the entire year of my postgraduate degree.

    At the beginning it was tough, I had to choose between a social life and keeping up with friends etc and paying for college independently (which wasn't an option) I found it definitely to be tough overall, especially as I managed to complete unpaid placement that involved travelling from Galway to Dublin 1 day a week throughout postgrad. Balancing the two is stressful and requires diligence to stay on top of your studies but it is completely beneficial.

    I learned the meaning of hard work and learned to appreciate free time so when I had a day off I would literally be in college for 12 hours a day getting work done and vise versa - when it came to work days I would take those evenings off and use them to relax to keep a balance.

    Although I fell out of touch with my peers (because I was always so busy!), I ended up with a 1st class honours degree, great experience working and hard earned skills as a result that many of my class mates still lack as they are now struggling to find even a part time job (as we only graduated this may!)

    I wouldn't advise against it, the hard work will make you develop as a student and adult with the best skills and mind set to leave college with rather than not knowing what hard work is until after University.

    Good luck!


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    #12
    LC2016
    Registered Users Posts: 108 ✭✭LC2016


    I may be getting offered 18-20 hours per week in a small grocery shop but I'm not sure if I'll have time to do so? They want someone to do one or two evenings of 4-10:30 and 6 hours on a Saturday/Sunday or both.I'm going to Mary I to do primary teaching and I've been told the hours are very long and could be 9-6 daily? I'm not particularly stuck for money living at home and I'm not sure if the employer is very flexible with studying and exams etc. Will I have time with lectures,social life,study,sports/clubs and it will it harm my college experience?


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    #13
    Yoop
    Registered Users Posts: 92 ✭✭Yoop


    LC2016 wrote: »
    I may be getting offered 18-20 hours per week in a small grocery shop but I'm not sure if I'll have time to do so? They want someone to do one or two evenings of 4-10:30 and 6 hours on a Saturday/Sunday or both.I'm going to Mary I to do primary teaching and I've been told the hours are very long and could be 9-6 daily? I'm not particularly stuck for money living at home and I'm not sure if the employer is very flexible with studying and exams etc. Will I have time with lectures,social life,study,sports/clubs and it will it harm my college experience?

    You could always try it and see. Most employers don't have a problem with time off if you let them know well enough in advance. Even if you don't really need the money now it's nice to have some savings, especially when you're living at home and are in a position to save.


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    #14
    MillField
    Registered Users Posts: 635 ✭✭✭MillField


    I studied in DIT Kevin Street and had a few hours a week in St Patricks Cathedral just up to road so it was easy to go in/out of work and college. Because my hours were pretty small (15-20 hours per week) it was easy to balance with college. During summers I would work jobs with longer hours alright.


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    #15
    LC2016
    Registered Users Posts: 108 ✭✭LC2016


    Yoop wrote: »
    You could always try it and see. Most employers don't have a problem with time off if you let them know well enough in advance. Even if you don't really need the money now it's nice to have some savings, especially when you're living at home and are in a position to save.

    I'm just not sure tbh. It's not the nicest area and have had break ins and stuff in the past.They're very low staffed and it's mostly older people who work there so I'm not sure if it's college friendly. I'd rather work in a bigger supermarket and get a shift or two weekly with shorter hours.Joining college, I want to be able to partake in everything and not miss out because of work.


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