Opinion

Working through college proves beneficial to students

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Student workers, such as pre-nursing freshman Victoria Tran, should be encouraged to work and go to school, as this type of discipline is important. | Justin Tijerina/The Cougar

With a schedule of late-night or early-morning lectures, a part-time job, frantic study sessions and a sporadic social life, most students constantly feel the pressure that comes with balancing so many responsibilities.

Over 78 percent of undergraduate students work, according to the U.S. Department of Education, and that figure has been steady since the 1990s. On average, working students hold down 30 hour-per-week jobs.

A large amount of students who work do not have the proper support they need, nor do they have the organizational skills to be able to juggle class assignments and projects for work.

According to the American Association of University Professors, “working is now a fundamental responsibility for many undergraduates, and understanding how employment affects students’ educational experiences is complicated by why students work.”

Many students do not have the option of whether to work. It is vital for working students to be realistic and understand what individual needs are required in order to be successful, and it is critical to have the ability to succeed in school, personal or professional areas.

The American Council for Education found that the main reason students work is to pay their tuition, fees and living expenses while attending college. Because students have to deal with financial responsibilities, they may feel trapped with having to work to live, which makes it easy to fall behind on school work or neglect friends and family.

Fox Business gave working college students four tips for establishing a well-balanced system to help students with time management and maintaining their sanity. These steps included creating a calendar, prioritizing responsibilities, learning how to multitask and seeking out the support of others by talking to academic or student advisers and professors if the student is stressed.

“Communication is a key when questions, issues, obstacles or concerns arise so that students can access the necessary resources and partner with their school in strategies for success,” president of Colorado State University-Global Campus Becky Takeda-Tinker told Fox Business.

The University should encourage students to work, as there are some things that you can only learn outside a classroom. Education goes hand-in-hand with experience for a bright future.

The American Association of University Professors said “creating an institutional culture that promotes the success of working students will require a campus-wide effort that involves the faculty and administration.”

Colleges and universities should encourage, reward and support faculty members who adapt their instructional practices to promote the educational success of working students, and should encourage students to join together to support each other.

Many undergraduate students struggle to meet the multiple demands of work, family and school roles, but that should not stop any student from working hard to pursue a successful future. There are sacrifices that one has to make, but all the dedication a student has toward work and their studies will pay off with a determined mind-set and heart to do it.

As said by Thomas Edison, “The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness and Common sense.”

Opinion columnist Rebekah Barquero is a print journalism sophomore and may be reached at [email protected].

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