I believe most of the students who are attending OSU Online Computer Science Postbaccalaureate Degree program are working full-time. A Georgetown University report shows that 40% of undergraduates students and 76% of graduate students work full time while attending school. On top of that, about 20% of all working students have family to take care of. If you are one of many, like me, you know that managing work and school is challenging. Here are some tips that helped me to get through the last two school years.
Set dedicated study time
Creating a dedicated study time is your first step to successfully manage work and school. I am sure that everyone is tired after working all day and wants to go sit down on a couch as soon as they finish working. It happened to me too. I wanted to take a nap everyday after finishing my work, but having a dedicated study time helped me go back to my desk and keep studying everyday.
Create a schedule and stick to it
When the classes start and the syllabuses are posted, make sure to check the class schedule. The first week is usually light, and it’s the best time to create your personal schedule by figuring out the volume of reading materials and assignments.
For example, in my previous term, I was taking two classes that required a lot of time. The first class, let’s call it Class A, had about five textbook chapters and one programming project assignment every week. Class B also had about five chapters and one quiz every week. On top of that, Class B had labs and programming projects every other week (busy!). The course material opened on Sunday and assignments were due next Monday. How did I handle this amount of school work? I created a schedule like below and stuck to it.
- Sunday: Rest day and review the next week’s materials
- Monday: Finish reading material for Class A. Start working on the programming assignment for Class A (complete at least 30% of the project).
- Tuesday: Finish reading material for Class B. Start working on the programming assignment or lab for Class B (complete at least 30% of the project).
- Wednesday: Study materials and submit a quiz for Class B. + programming assignment for Class B.
- Thursday: Programming assignment for Class A or B.
- Friday: Programming assignment for Class A or B.
- Saturday: Backup day for school work
Every week, I started working on the programming projects as soon as I finished reading the materials. By starting the projects right away, I was able to know how difficult they were and how many hours I should spend on them each day. At the same time, I tried to finish small assignments right away so that I could focus on those programming assignments.
I know that everyone has different style of studying but the key is to create a schedule that works for you and stick to it. It will reduce stress and make it easier to manage school work.
Treat yourself
Working full-time and going to school is stressful. Make sure to have a re-charge day whenever possible. If not, take PTO and go on vacation during the summer or winter break! Going to a gym a couple of times a week helped me forget about most of the stress from school, and having a little treat from Yi Fang Tea on the weekend always made me happy. Find something that makes you relax and happy every week, and you should be able to keep going until the end of the semester!
Don’t give up
Lastly…don’t give up! I thought about quitting this program so many times in the last two years, but I am glad that I didn’t. I only have a couple of months left and am looking forward to my graduation!
