Managing the madness

Stereotypes of students are not usually flattering. Yet few people consider the demanding juggling act that the majority of students face, whilst they try to work part time, gain a good degree and have a social life simultaneously.

“Students have always had a hectic lifestyle,” says Liz Hagger, careers consultant at Graduate Prospects. University is an exciting but also demanding stage of life. You are there to be intellectually challenged, as well as make you more employable. You are also there to develop personally. Thirdly, you are at university to enjoy yourself with a large group of like-minded (and not so like-minded) people. Unfortunately, all this adds up to one major disadvantage – the expense.

Penelope Avon, who graduated from Birmingham University with a degree in Property Management this year, says: “University is great and I loved every minute of it, but money was a constant worry at the back of my mind. I knew that the only way to resolve it was to get a part time job during term time.”

Funding lifestyles

Balancing finance, socialising and coursework presents a dilemma for most students, and with more than ever working part time in during the term, the reality contradicts the traditional perception of student life. The 2007 NatWest Student Money Matters survey found that a huge 82% of the year’s university intake believed they would have to work to fund their studies, and 44% of current students rely on term-time workto get by, working an average of 15 hours a week.

But the amount of work students do during the term varies massively depending on the university, course, and personal abilities and desires. Oxbridge students for example are urged not to work during the (admittedly very short) terms at all. Oxford recommends working during the summer term, but as for the other holidays, the guidelines say: “In the Christmas and Easter breaks, which are six weeks long, you should have time for some part time work, but remember that you will have vacation work to do for your course, and will probably want a break.”

But many students don’t have breaks at all: A lot of degree work with some paid work during the term-time, and vice versa in the holidays. It can get harder the further through university you get. Liz says: “It’s easier said than done, but the solution to the dilemma is balance between study and personal life. In your first year, you can put more emphasis on your social life, but come your final year, your studies really do have to take priority.”

Penelope worked during her final year as a waitress, but found people were yet to understand the work involved for many at university. “I worked hard at both my degree and in my part time job, as did all my friends. People I met would jokingly label me with traditional stereotypes of student, assuming I was lazy and a big drinker. I don’t think that the general public realise how much university lifestyle has changed and how the demands on students have grown.”