Having completed a Bachelor of Business at the end of 2015, I know how difficult university can be. It’s definitely no easy feat, but it’s totally worth it. Whilst I was studying my degree, I worked on a casual basis. This was at times, a challenge to juggle with my studies, so you can imagine how shocked I was when I found out my colleague was recently finishing her university studies, whilst having had a full time job the whole time, not to mention those people who also have families to care for on top of it all! That’s some serious dedication.However, it’s always been common to have full time workers studying on a part time basis, but this is also becoming more popular, particularly with the benefit of gaining work experience in your chosen field. So to help you out, I’ve decided to put together some pointers on how to manage university studies whilst working full time (with the help of my colleague).

1. Plan ahead

Time management is key people! Plan ahead – like way ahead. At the start of every semester, it’s probably a good idea to actually read some information from the course materials. Find out what assessment you’ve got, when it’s all due and any other important dates. Bonus points go to those who draw up a table of their assessment in order of due dates!

2. Be organised

Becoming an organised person will change your life. I’m not kidding. You’ll find there’s more time to do those little things that have been on your list for ages that you just can’t seem to tick off. Organise a designated study space so you can immediately ‘get in the zone’ when it’s time for uni work. Make sure it’s kept tidy and grab some folders to store your documents. One thing that works really well is to sit down for 15 minutes on a Sunday night and organise the upcoming week. Your Monday will be just that little bit brighter!

3. Learn to say no

Today’s society is riddled with the dreaded FOMO – Fear of Missing Out. But you know what? It’s actually okay to say no! Don’t keep saying yes in fear that you’ll miss out on something important. The world really will go on and it’ll be okay. You don’t have to have an action packed agenda to be defined as successful. You won’t be at uni forever, so do it right the first time!

4. Stick to the schedule

If you listened to my first point (plan ahead), you’ll have developed a schedule by now. Hopefully you’ve got some sort of routine or timetable down pat and have dedicated study and relaxation periods. Do your very best to stick to the schedule and don’t stray too far. Once you let yourself slip, it can often be challenging to get back on track.

5. No last minute assignments

You may have tried this approach in high school, and good for you if it worked back then. The truth is, it won’t work now! Nobody has time to be rushing last minute at uni whilst working in a full time job. Start your assessment as early as possible. Going back to my first point, you should have plenty of warning when it’s due. It may seem daunting, but managing university studies whilst working a full time job can actually be achieved. Follow the above tips to get a head start