The College Student

Balancing work, school and life

By Sheri Krotzer
Edited by John Kennett

College students prove to be most efficient at time management and multi-tasking.

Amidst a constant flow of applications, homework assignments, planning events and the rest of their lives, do college students really get a chance to live normally? Problems are surely present.

“Time management… No doubt. I have a real problem with this,” said Grand Ledge senior Niki Ward. “Especially in my major trying to balance regular lecture classes and projects and getting everything done on time.”

Countless trials of balancing work schedules, homework and every day activities puts students in tough situations.

An average college student’s day consists of two or more classes, several hours of homework and sometimes either a work shift or some kind of meeting.

“I think that dealing with multiple avenues of stress from jobs, school, and financial issues is the hardest thing to deal with,” said Westphalia junior Sarah Downes. “It's hard to even know what you should be worrying about with so many things on your agenda.”

The consensus college students have come to is that time management is the worst.

“Budgeting time to study, work, hang out and go home,” is what Muskegon junior Brad Austin finds most difficult.

Although, thinking about the future brings a brighter light into the picture and a smile to students’ faces.

“The thing that I look forward to is never doing homework again,” Downes said with a smile. “Just kidding… I look forward to having a job that I actually like.”

A career holds an opportunity to focus on one area and one area only. This is something to be excited about.

“I look forward to no homework from multiple classes,” Ward said. “I will only have to focus on my job.”

Through all of the struggles, there really is a light at the end of the tunnel. Austin looks forward to his biggest reward: a job and a family.