Agony Aunt

Dear Agony Aunt,

My tutor suggested I should work less to focus on academics, but if I do, I can’t afford to go to UCU anymore. Is it possible to be financially, mentally, and academically stable at UCU?

Dear reader,

Unfortunately, there’s no quick-fix to this edition’s query. Life at UCU is difficult for any student, with highly demanding workloads and an academic culture that seems to prioritize grades and productivity at all costs. On top of that, there is intense pressure to partake in everything, go to every party, participate in every committee event, or, if you need something to pad your CV with, take on responsibilities by joining one of our many student boards.

For those of us that aren’t financially well-off, additional challenges come into play. While at many Dutch universities, having a parttime job is the status quo, you’re somewhat of an anomaly at UCU if you work alongside your academics. The amount of times I’ve been asked just why I would choose to work if I don’t love my job is astonishing. And whenever I get overwhelmed with the number of tasks on my to-do list, work is the first to be suggested as ‘optional’.

I understand some of the rationales, studying at UCU is a full-time job in itself, your main job, if you will. If your part-time responsibilities are hindering your academics, it makes sense to cut down on them. If you then can’t make ends meet, you borrow money from the government. But life isn’t as clear-cut as it seems, and borrowing extra money is not an option for many students struggling financially. No matter how much we might want to take time off, not being able to afford tuition, campus fees, or food is not going to help our situation.

If your grades are suffering as a result of your financial insecurity, it can feel isolating to live on a campus surrounded by people who often have a high level of financial privilege. Especially if your tutor doesn’t seem to understand your situation, it can start to feel like there’s no way out. UCU is, and probably always will be, a highly demanding institution, that presumes a certain level of privilege in its prioritization of academic success. A majority of UCU students will probably always have parents that have the money to support them throughout their studies. And those of us struggling financially will probably not win the lottery anytime soon.

So what can you do? The one thing that helps me most in balancing my life at UCU with my part-time job, is looking for the right type of job. If the job has a lot of downtime, you might be able to do some schoolwork during your shifts, think librarian, receptionist, or babysitter. At the same time, jobs that require more skills will pay you a higher wage. Examples are tutoring jobs, office work, and administration. If you’re able to work nearby, that will save you travel time, meaning you spend less unpaid time busy with work. You could also choose to work during the breaks only, many tutoring institutes offer intensive exam-prep courses for high-school students during holidays, meaning you don’t have to juggle both work and academics at the same time.

Lastly, if your job is physically or mentally taxing, you might be too tired to study after your shifts, so think about what times you want to work, and what times you want to study. If you study better at night, try to see if you can work in the mornings you’re free. If you cannot quit work entirely, try to find a way of earning money that works better for you, so you can have more time and space to focus on your mental and academic health.