Why I Chose to Work While in School
Working two jobs while attending university wasn’t something I did to prove a point or chase after hustle culture. It was simply what made sense for me at the time. I wanted work experience, income, and structure alongside my degree, and I found roles that provided me with these opportunities.
Looking back, working while in school taught me far more than I expected. It forced me to be disciplined with my time, organized with my responsibilities, and punctual in ways that mattered. When you have deadlines for school, shifts to show up for, and people relying on you in multiple roles, you don’t really have the option to wing it.
You either figure it out, or you fall behind.
What Balancing Two Jobs and University Really Looked Like
At one point, I was balancing three schedules at once: school, a marketing role, and a reception job. Oddly enough, managing the schedules themselves was the easiest part. What was harder was keeping up with the constant flow of tasks, assignments, exams, group projects, and responsibilities that never seemed to stop coming.
My marketing role, in particular, taught me a lot about time management. It required organizing events, maintaining constant communication with people, planning product drops, coordinating club meetings, and driving sign-ups for activations. Each person on the team was responsible for meeting targets, getting people to events, and maintaining momentum.
It was engaging and exciting work, but it also demanded real time and attention. Because I could log hours for much of the work I did on the side, I technically had the flexibility to work more when projects ramped up. That flexibility was great, but it also meant I had to be very intentional about how much I took on.
School, of course, didn’t slow down just because work was busy. Assignments were constantly being given, exams needed studying for, and group projects demanded extra coordination. Days off rarely felt like true days off. More often than not, they were spent catching up, cleaning my space, or mentally preparing for the next stretch.
There were days I felt drained or like I had no personal time at all.
The Skills I Didn’t Expect to Build
Working two jobs through university taught me discipline, punctuality, organization, and time management in a very real way. Not the abstract kind you read about online, but the kind that shows up when you physically need to be somewhere, meet expectations, and still perform well academically.
My reception role was especially valuable in ways I didn’t anticipate. I became excellent at multitasking, handling interruptions, and staying organized in a fast-paced environment. On slower days, I was sometimes able to work on school assignments during shifts, which helped immensely. That only worked because I took pride in my work and made sure nothing slipped.
Even though reception might seem like a smaller role to some, I genuinely enjoyed it. I enjoyed interacting with customers, stocking in vehicles, ensuring things ran smoothly, and exploring more efficient systems to improve admin operations. I’ve always enjoyed refining processes and making workflows more efficient, and that role allowed me to develop those habits early.
Burnout, Breaks, and Being Honest With Yourself
That said, having two jobs while in school wasn’t always easy or fun. There were days I didn’t want to go. Days I felt burnt out. Days I questioned whether I was taking on too much.
What I learned is that pushing yourself can feel incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with limits. When you’re juggling that much, you will have days where you need to do nothing. And that’s okay.
Days off were often spent resting, resetting, or simply existing. They didn’t always feel productive, but they were necessary. Taking on a lot means you’ll sometimes feel overwhelmed, and ignoring that doesn’t make you stronger. It just makes you exhausted.
I’m still guilty of this now. In my current role, I sometimes forget to drink water or take a proper break because I’m so focused on what I’m doing. I’m learning that those few minutes to eat, drink water, or step away are not wasted time. They’re required if you want to consistently show up as your best self.
If you don’t take breaks when you need them, you won’t stay happy, driven, or effective long-term.
Why I Don’t Regret It
Despite the hard days, I don’t regret working two jobs through university at all. I built confidence, became more outgoing, and gained experience I wouldn’t trade. I surprised myself with the quality of work I could produce under pressure, and I walked away with skills that still serve me today.
Now that I’ve graduated, I actually miss the learning aspect of that phase of life. That feeling is a big part of what motivated me to start this blog and continue learning on my own. Those years shaped how I work, manage my time, and approach responsibility.
I also wouldn’t have many of my favourite memories if things had turned out differently.
Working two jobs taught me that growth doesn’t come from being perfect. It comes from showing up, adjusting when things get hard, and knowing when to push and when to rest. That balance is something I’m still working on, and probably always will be.