Getting the balance right

In a survey issued to mature students in 2006, one of the most prevalent concerns related to workload. Nearly every 2006 mature student who answered the questionnaire said they were worried about the workload of their course, and how to balance this with their family life and social life.

Now I’m not a mature student, but I have also shared this concern. For the past two years, I have balanced a full time degree with two part-time jobs and voluntary work on top of that, as well as a social life. It’s been a hectic two years, but things can go very smoothly if you balance your time appropriately. Following the points below should help to avoid an overload when you start in October.

• Get your university timetable off the internet as soon as you can, and type it up.
• Make sure your employer knows when you will be in uni.
• When arranging your hours at work, try to get the same shifts each week. It is much easier this way, as you get into a routine, and doing shifts at different times each week can be a bit stressful. Last year, I devoted two days to employment. During these days, I would think of nothing but work, but once they were over, that was it, and I could get on with being a student.
• Don’t forget to allocate some time for studying and reading (this takes a long time, much longer than I initially anticipated).

As for family life, the survey also revealed that many mature students would like to get involved in social events, but that they felt restricted because they could not bring their children.

To address this, events will be arranged throughout the year that are family-friendly. You will be able to bring your children so won’t need to worry about a babysitter!