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| Photograph: Connor Brook |
Charlotte completed an undergraduate
degree in Theology at Durham University before pursuing a taught MA in
Religious Studies at Lancaster University this year. Throughout her MA,
Charlotte has maintained a part-time job in a café of one of Britain’s largest
retailers. Though at times trying, it has been invaluable in terms of making
postgraduate study economically viable and as an added bonus, it has also
provided her with a wealth of comical anecdotes to be told in a variety of
social situations! It is hoped that the comments and thoughts contained in this
post will be helpful for prospective students who are considering attempting to
balance postgraduate study with a part-time job.
Securing funding for Postgraduate study is incredibly difficult. Being unsuccessful in this can be disheartening, but it doesn’t have to spell the end for your dreams of further study.
The government
have recently set up a scheme offering up to £10,000 (increasing to £10,280
after 1st August 2017) for postgraduate students embarking on
Master’s programmes in the UK. More information on this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/postgraduate-loan
This is a
fantastic opportunity, however it does all have to be paid back in the end.
Personally, I didn’t find the idea of adding a whole £10,000 on top of my
already exorbitant student debts exactly appealing, so I decided to borrow
enough to cover my tuition fees and to earn money for everything else via a
part-time job. Now, this was far from an easy decision. Embarking on a
full-time MA whilst simultaneously holding up a part-time job was daunting to
say the least. However, having managed to balance the two for almost a year
now, I feel confident enough to say that it is
possible and it need not negatively impact your academic work.
I’ve compiled a
list of things that I’ve learnt along the way to hopefully help any prospective
students considering attempting the same.
1. Search for the right ‘type’ of job for
you.
This might seem
like an odd place to start and it is tempting to take whatever job you can get
– after all, beggars can’t be choosers – but it’s definitely something to
consider right from the beginning. I work in a very busy café which means that
I come home at the end of the day physically drained. Forcing myself to focus
on university work after a day in that environment is sometimes incredibly hard.
Luckily for me, I naturally work best in the evening/at night, so I do often
manage to make use of this time after work. If this isn’t the case for you,
perhaps consider searching for a less physically demanding job, or shifts that
allow you to concentrate on your academic commitments at times that suit you.
2. Balance.
This is also
something to consider when searching for a job. Your MA should always be your priority. When applying
for jobs make sure that your contracted hours will be manageable and will allow
you enough time to dedicate to your course. I work 16 hours a week and find
that just about doable, both in terms of how much I earn and the time that it
takes up. The amount that you can do will differ for everyone though. Also,
don’t be afraid to turn down extra shifts. It’s easy to think that you have to
say yes to everything, but don’t. Your MA is your priority.
3. Be nice to your manager.
A good
relationship with your boss is invaluable. They can swap your shifts around if
necessary – say you need to go into university to meet a supervisor
unexpectedly, or you need to have an extra day working on an essay before a
deadline – if they like and trust you, they are more likely to help you.
4. Be realistic.
It is going to
be hard. There will be times where you feel that spending a day at work instead
of at the library is a day wasted. There will also be days where you can’t
concentrate on your job because you are panicking about the half-written essay
due next week. The fact is, you can’t do anything about it whilst you’re
working, so stop worrying and enjoy a break from the stress of the academic
world! I actually find that when I have unproductive weeks, going out to work
and doing something completely different can refresh my motivation so when I
get home I can get some serious work done!
Alternatively,
if you are stressed about your workload, you can always take some with you to
do on your break. I’ve done this every now and then and have found it great for
calming fears about not having done enough work. I usually either take a short
article to read or printed out essays and edit them whilst eating lunch. Just don’t
rely getting loads done here as the staff canteen usually isn’t exactly
distraction-free!
5. Plan-ahead.
This is a tip
for anyone embarking on an MA. In fact, it’s a necessary part of completing any
degree, but when attempting a Master’s with a job on the side it is imperative.
Note down deadlines and work out well ahead of time how you are going to ensure
that they are met.
Also, if you
end up working in retail be prepared that Christmas holidays will be hell on
earth. There will be extra shifts that you’ll be expected to do, more customers
to deal with, you’ll likely have essay deadlines due at the end of the holidays
(in my case there were 2 and 1 to plan), and in all of that you’ll probably
want to actually celebrate Christmas at some point. It can be a struggle,
especially when you consider that these are the first essays you will have
written at MA level, therefore making them automatically more stressful.
Nevertheless, if you plan-ahead, it is definitely possible to ace them.
6. Take time off.
This ties in
with number 5, but be sure to plan in time off. This is so, so important in
terms of keeping healthy – both physically and mentally. Mental health issues
are so common in academia and given the constant stress, deadlines, competition,
impossible workload and the perpetual sense of not having done enough, it’s no
wonder. Don’t let your health be compromised just because you wouldn’t let
yourself enjoy life every now and then!
On a similar
note, book your holidays wisely. My contract had me working weekends.
Unfortunately, my essay deadlines always fell on a Monday. I found it so
helpful to book time off from work the weekend directly before the deadline.
This being said, don’t just book time off to do more university work; you need
to live as well!
7. Don’t take work home with you.
Your job will
sometimes be stressful. You might leave feeling angry or frustrated but don’t
take it away with you, it will only stop you getting on with your uni work when
you get home.
8. Start early.
If you are
going straight into an MA from your undergraduate degree, you will likely have
a whole summer before your course begins (and before you are expected to pay
any tuition fees). Use this wisely. Yes, enjoy it, relax, and have fun – you’ve
earnt it – but also consider working through it (if you have any pre-booked
holidays when you begin, most companies will honour them and let you have time
off). During summer, you’ll likely have few other commitments, unlike during
term time, meaning that you can pick up any and all shifts that come your way.
This is great for a) giving yourself a cushion of cash to fall back on should
something unexpected crop up later on, and b) getting yourself in your
manager’s good books – see point number 3!
*
Before I began
my course I searched high and low for advice on completing postgraduate study
alongside a part-time job. Unfortunately, I found very little and therefore I
began my MA unsure of whether what I was attempting was even possible. Of
course, every situation is different and what works for me might not work for
everyone, but hopefully this post can help prospective students in some way,
even if it is just by proving that it can be done!
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