From The Campus: Mumbai's Mithibai College Students Opine On The Challenges Of Juggling Work And Studies For College Students

In all the hustles of a young adult, there comes a time when a striking balance needs to be created between work and recreation, and falling short in either could lead to some dire consequences. This campus correspondent went on to investigate how students, who are also working part-time, balance their lives.

By engaging with the students who indulge themselves in parttime work or internships throughout the year, it’s found that an overwhelming number of them struggle to maintain a striking balance.

Saravati, an outstation FYBA student, says, “It's more often hard on us firstyear students because it is outside our comfort zones. We work not just to manage expenses but to gain experience and to build a good CV.”

On the contrary, Sneha from FYBCOM feels excited and smiles in the spirit of her newfound internship at a Chartered Accountancy firm. “I wake up every day looking forward to going to the office after college. Something about how my seniors at work treat me as they help me get my grips and sometimes coddle me has a lot to do with me liking my work.”

Meghna Chakravorty from TYBA says, “I am doing an internship with a fashion company called Dazzle. I mostly work from home and I have come across people who think internships from home aren’t serious business. But what they don’t see is that for the money and experience, I have to put in 2/3 hours of work into this on a minimum per day! With my CAT entrance preparation and my end-semester prep, I don’t have much of a social life!”

A student who prefers to keep their identity anonymous says, “I am a SYBCOM student, and the place I work right now is a gaming arcade. I do it to make some money and also because spending a few hours of my day helping people smile and enjoy doesn’t hurt.

I manage time also for study and recreation and life has never been fuller yet I look forward to every day”. Aman Bolani, a third-year science student, says, “Sometimes if your work demands time, you have to take some out of your college. This can get you in attendance trouble.

At my workplace (preferring to keep anonymous) I am positioned as a junior scientist and at the age that I am, I feel it’s imperative that I start making some money. I've got three years of work experience and the pay is not good at all even for someone who is just starting and I don’t know my future in this stream if this is the case.”

Some students think they can manage this after all. A student who prefers anonymity says, “It’s something we have to do. A balance must be created to keep things in line and as much as some of us would appreciate some grace with attendance, I don’t think it can get to a point where it can get you into trouble.”

It’s found that there are highs and lows in this journey, and there are many students who work to earn money primarily and gain experience. The thirst to prove their worth intensifies and as much as they dedicate themselves to the cause, the need for maintaining a fine balance grows.