School. It is an important word to some people but to others it is considered a waste of time and money. School is an important factor in where students want to go in life, or who they want to become. Going to school is not the only important decision students make, along with how much time they want to work. Whether they choose to work full-time and go to school part-time or they choose to be a full-time student with a part-time job, knowing how to manage time can make a huge impact. Doing both school and work is never an easy task and some can find the pressure to be too much. Connor Bomgardner, Hutchinson,
works a part-time job while attending classes everyday. “I like my job, some days, it is difficult to go to school and then work, knowing I will have to do my homework when I get home. It is just part of life,” Bomgardner said. Though most college students would prefer not to work and go to school, the factors in life such as car payments, rent, utilities and other bills make having a job an essential part of living. One of the downfalls of working a job is the consumption of your time, which could possibly be used to study for classes. “Working takes study time away from school but then it gives you money to pay stuff off like phone
427 students surveyed
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balancing school and work
Dragon’s Tale
bills, cable bills, any apartment bills, and pay for food,” James Vieyra, Hutchinson, said. Learning to use time appropriately and avoid simple distractions such as television, Facebook, computer games and other video games is the key to managing life. “I could always manage my time better. Sometimes it does get really tough to stay focused when I am at home, but when I go to the library, I can manage my time much better with fewer distractions,” Bomgardner said. One common denominator between school and work is money. The choice is whether a student works to make money for the moment or chooses to continue their education to get a more qualified job and make more money in the long run. School is a choice after all, but which comes first school or work? “I’d choose school because once I’m done with school I could look for a good job,” Vieyra said. There are many different ways of balancing and managing your time between school and work, such as weekly planners, calendars, phones and some people are able