If you really want to know the truth about working while studying, then you are in the right place.
To add a bit of a background, I am an LLB Law graduate from the University of Reading and a current LPC LLM student at the University of Law. A common factor about both journeys is that I worked various roles throughout my educational career. Going from working one job and studying full time during my undergrad to working three jobs during my postgrad was quite a jump, but for me, it was perfect! This is partly because I chose to study my postgrad part-time to allow me to gain some paralegal/legal assistant experience at a law firm. Had I not received a paralegal role, I would have resorted to studying the LPC full-time and getting it over and done with, however, I was in luck! Through numerous cold emails to countless law firms, I landed my first paralegal role.
This role was extremely stressful. It was surely insightful and helpful, and I am ever so happy to have achieved this opportunity because of the importance of legal work experience in today’s market, notwithstanding the effects of the pandemic. However, I truly did not gauge how pressurised the legal work environment can be and managing that whilst studying the LPC was difficult, but I have proven that it can be done. Whilst working in the legal industry, I also worked a retail job some evenings and undertook marketing events on weekends. So, yes, my diary was packed, and I was told by my friends and family to cut back down on responsibilities on many occasions. Nevertheless, I still achieved a decent grade in the end, so I did not lose out on much.
Quite honestly, I was enjoying it. I found a new sense of freedom as I was not studying all the time, which allowed me to do other things. In my opinion, choosing to study part-time was the best decision I could have made, and therefore, if your circumstances permit, I would recommend looking into part-time study.
Now let me tell you how I did it:
Time Management
This simply means being able to organise and plan how to divide your time between specific activities. Good time management enables you to work smarter, not harder.
At the start of each week, I would get my diary out and write a list of things I needed to have achieved by the end of the week, splitting it up day by day. This would include anything from completing workshops, to catching up on reading, to shift days and most importantly, to have well deserved self-care days.
At the end of each day, I would then tick off what I got done. This immediately put things into perspective and I was able to visualise all the things I had achieved in the day, which made me feel proud.
This also meant that if I was not able to complete certain tasks in the day, I could manoeuvre them into the other days and complete them then. I had to ensure I stuck to my diary because priorities can change and we are human, which means anything can change in our lives at any given point. Writing a to-do list allowed me to be flexible and adaptive to any changes occurring in my life.
Exams and Assignments
This is super important because amidst all the chaos in our busy lives, it is imperative to know when your exams and written assessments are due so that you can take a break from work and other responsibilities and focus on them. At the end of the day, you are at university to achieve a good grade and it is therefore vital to give it the time and respect it deserves.
At the University of Law, assignments were split, and we were examined roughly every three months. I received my yearly calendar when I started, allowing me to take any time off work and revise properly when the time came.
To help with exam preparations, I highly advise getting started early. I made use of all my free time by completing the workshops, doing the reading and making notes as I went along, rather than last minute. Every day after work, I would dedicate a good 2-3 hours, sometimes more if necessary, to complete the workshop tasks. This is what will help you do well in the LPC exams; prep for these effectively and you are on your way to achieving a high grade. I would also have some weekends off, which allowed me to keep one whole day aside purely for LPC prep and note-taking. There is a LOT of content, so it is very important for you to stay on top because you can find yourself drowning in it pretty quickly, especially whilst balancing other priorities.
source: oxfordhousebcn
Self-Care Days and Mental Health
Since I was balancing studies and different jobs, I felt It became important to take care of myself mentally and physically. Therefore, I gave myself time off whenever I felt the pressure and brain fog building up and I did this for as long and as often as necessary. I believe this was key to resuming my responsibilities easily and doing well with them.
A few things I did which you can also implement are to:
- Plan days where you will do nothing but relax. Watch Netflix, put a face mask on, play sports, eat your favourite meal or whatever it is you like to do and switch off.
- Talk to someone you trust about how you feel. This is better than bottling your feelings up, trust me.
- Keep telling yourself that your health comes first and nothing is more important than a healthy body and mind.
If you are seriously struggling, please speak to a professional:
Samaritans. To talk about anything that is upsetting you, you can contact Samaritans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can call 116 123 (free from any phone), email jo@samaritans.org or visit some branches in person. You can also call the Welsh Language Line on 0300 123 3011 (7pm–11pm every day).
SANEline. If you're experiencing a mental health problem or supporting someone else, you can call SANEline on 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm–10.30pm every day).
If any of you require more advice, please feel free to reach out to me on my LinkedIn. I would love to talk to you about anything that can prove useful to you in regard to studying and working.
Finally, good luck if you are starting university this year! It will be what you make of it. Make use of every opportunity and every help that you receive. Build those networks around you and stay focused but remember to enjoy the ride!
Faiza is an LLB Law graduate from the University of Reading and a current part-time LPC student at the University of Law, due to finish in 2021. Alongside this, she has taken up cooking and baking during lockdown, sharing recipes and reviews on Instagram!
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