I just started college this fall as a freshman and starting a new job as a cashier in a supermarket near where I live. I’m only taking 14 credits this semester.
This job requires a minimum of 16 hours a week.
I just wanted to know if these hours would be manageable especially since I may need to take more credits for the spring semester?
I went to college in the dark ages.
But I worked part time in a restaurant. Hours were 4- closing, 4 nights a week. So roughly 30/31 hours a week.
I never took fewer than 15 credits a semester-- neither did any of my friends with whom I worked. We all commuted together, worked together, hung out together.
I had the low GPA in the group with a 3.8. Everyone else had a 4.0. I was a math major; they had assorted versions of business majors.
So, yes, it’s manageable.
See if you can start with close to the minimum number of hours and adjust to balancing the expectations. Plan out your academic assignments and other study requirements over time. If you don’t leave yourself needing to cram (which isn’t really efrective) you should do fine. Often busier students do better than the uninvolved.
It just takes very good discipline and time management. Less time to sit around but very doable.
Find another job with 10 hours per week?
For every class academic hour, you are expected to study/read/do homework for a minimum of 2 additional hours. So for a 3 credit class, for the 3 hours/per week you are in the classroom, you are expected to do 6 additional hours outside the classroom.
So assume that your normal 15 credits = 15 academic hours (i.e., 50 minutes) in class and 30 hours out of class per week = 45 hours/week…treat it like a full time job.
So you are then adding 16 hours/week work on top of that.
Read this book to optimize your studying.
I would highly recommend the book by Cal Newport: “How To Become a Straight-A Student:
The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less”
It will help you with time management and how to be more efficient.