How to balance an internship while being a student
In college, especially in your final year, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed with classes and extracurricular activities and planning for the future. Add in that dream internship that you have managed to land, and it can be very hard to stay organized and live a balanced life. Here are a few simple steps to try and make balancing interning and your university life a little bit easier:
Create a schedule.
Think about the months ahead, and plan out when you will need to be interning, when you have assignments due in, and general important dates (holidays, trips, etc.) throughout the year. This way you can anticipate your workload and get the work done in advance to avoid being in a time crunch at the last minute.
If possible, plan your course load so that you have all your classes on one or two days of the week, leaving you time to complete your internship and keep on top of all your other commitments. This will also leave you more room to schedule in time to relax and avoid rushing from one thing to another.
Prioritize.
When you feel like you have too much on your plate, it is okay to reschedule that dinner with a friend, or put off going to the gym for a few days, until you have more leisure time on your hands. Learning to say no is an important step on the road to life organization.
Don’t be afraid to ask.
If you need a little more time for assignments, or to leave class ten minutes early to get to your internship, don’t be afraid to ask. The worst answer could be no, but if you don’t try you will never know!
If you find you have a week with less to do, why not ask to do some class work in advance, or take on more responsibility at your internship? This could give you more leeway in the future if you need to take time off or ask for an extended deadline.
Think about the bigger picture.
Whilst studying and getting a high grade is important, experience and a full resume is almost as important. It will set you apart from the competition. If you have to take some time for your internship, there is a high chance that it will be benefit you in the long run (so long as you can maintain your grades). Wouldn’t you rather push yourself now and reap the rewards later?
Take time to have fun.
Take a break, call a friend, and relax. No matter how stressful your life gets, always take some time to breathe, take it all in, and have fun to avoid burning out from exhaustion which is counterproductive.
By: Antonia Hobden
