Our current intern Abi is working with us two days a week while she completes her degree. She is sharing some of her tips that she has gained for anyone thinking of taking on work while studying…..
Managing an internship while studying can be a challenging but also can so beneficial! Gaining experience through an internship can offer you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, develop professional skills, network with professionals in the industry you’re interested in. However… juggling internship responsibilities with coursework, extracurricular activities, and personal life can be overwhelming and difficult.
In this blog post, I’ll talk through some of the things that have really helped me manage my studies and working.
Plan Ahead
Planning is key!! Taking some time initially to create a schedule that includes all of your responsibilities, such as coursework deadlines, exam dates, extracurricular activities, and personal commitments will be invaluable for the long term. I work fully remotely, but if you are travelling to the office factor in time for commuting and breaks as well.
I often use my calendar so I can keep track of deadlines and how my weeks are planned very easily! Don’t be afraid to look at other apps, you could use a to-do list app to keep track of your tasks or a note-taking app to keep track of important information and ideas.
By doing this, you can make adjustments to ensure that you have enough time to complete all of your tasks, and balance everything you need and want to do with your time!
Prioritize Tasks
You’re going to have more tasks to manage doing both an internship and studying. I would definitely recommend making a list of all of the tasks that you need to complete and ranking them in order of importance. This will help you focus on the most important tasks first, making sure you are meeting deadlines but also keeping track of things you need to do but aren’t urgent. It is also important to be flexible and willing to adjust your priorities as needed as things pop up and deadlines loom.
Communicate
It is important to communicate with your manager about your availability and schedule. Let them know about your lecture timetable and any other commitments that may affect when you are available to work, like exams. This will help them work with you in assigning your workload and tasks. It is also important to communicate your goals for the internship. This will help make sure that it aligns with your career goals and be the best use of your time that it possibly can be!
I have also found that communicating with university is also crucial. Making use of my personal tutor and lecturers support to discuss any problems and stresses has helped me lots and can also help you to stay organised and prepared for deadlines.
Seek Support
Seek support from friends and family when you need it. Talk to them about your challenges and just have someone listen, ask for their help and advice. Having a support system can help you stay motivated and inspired to keep going!
You may feel like you are working 100 hour weeks fitting in studying and working! It has really helped me to be realistic in my expectations and not be so hard on myself.
I have also made sure to take my full lunch break at work, and other breaks to do something for me. This has ranged from going for a walk outside to reading a book and even some yoga. This has helped me to recharge my batteries and stay motivated and productive.
SLEEP! This was something I have realised is crucial, and I have prioritised more. This has meant that I have had to forgo some social events, but I know that for my long-term career this will be worth it!
I’ve found the benefits of the internship have far outweighed the challenges of balancing working and studying, so if you are thinking about it, I would definitely recommend going for it! Hopefully these tips will be useful for you.