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Olivia
Student
Northwood, Ohio
1
Question
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What are some of the best ways to stay financially stable/smart while having little time to work in college What are some tips on time management -between studying, personal time, practice, classes, free time- while going into a hard major and playing a sport?
Im currently a senior in high school, I plan on playing softball in college while majoring in nursing to become a CRNA. I have always been involved in multiple activities and make time to study but Im looking for addition tips on ways to stay on top of my classes and not feel stressed. Is it worth it to try and have a part time job or stick to working over the summer. I am very interested in becoming a CRNA and want to receive the best grades possible throughout schooling without feeling overwhelmed. #fall25 #nursing #studentathlete #college
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3 answers
Martin Schoen
APRN
387
Answers
Ocala, Florida
Updated
Martin’s Answer
While in college, I landed a night job at a blood distribution center. There weren't many calls for blood units at night, so I had plenty of time to either sleep or study. As long as I could hear the phone and wasn't busy with a delivery, I could use the time as I liked.
Yoav Traeger
Bid Manager
75
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Kiryat Ono, Tel Aviv District
Updated
Yoav’s Answer
It is truly commendable that you are planning ahead with such intentionality, knowing you want to pursue a challenging major like Nursing to become a CRNA while balancing the demands of a college sport; that level of ambition and forward thinking will be your greatest advantage. To manage your time effectively, you must become a master of "micro-productivity," meaning you need to use every small pocket of time—the bus ride to practice, the thirty minutes between classes, or the time before dinner—for quick academic tasks like reviewing notes, doing flashcards, or reading a few pages of a chapter, while simultaneously creating a master schedule that time-blocks all of your fixed commitments, including dedicated, distraction-free study sessions that you treat as seriously as practice. Regarding financial stability, it is almost always recommended to stick to working over the summer or looking for a Federal Work-Study position on campus, as these jobs are designed to work around a student's schedule and provide income without adding the kind of scheduling stress that could jeopardize your grades in a demanding program like Nursing, where your academic focus must remain the priority. Remember to also build in non-negotiable personal time for rest and self-care, because sacrificing sleep or mental well-being will ultimately hurt both your grades and your athletic performance, and you are prioritizing the long-term goal of becoming a CRNA. You have the discipline and drive to excel in both the classroom and on the field, and I wish you the very best of luck in finding your optimal balance.
Kaitlyn Cook
Sustainability Data Manager
2
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Kaitlyn’s Answer
Hi! I appreciate your level of ambition here. I was a D1 student athlete at an ivy league school so it was really challenging academically, but was also on financial aid and needed to hold a student job, so I really do understand the struggle here and I have a lot of advice I would love to give! Feel free to also message with follow up questions as I would love to be of help.
First of all, while athletics may seem like your whole life right now, keep in mind where you want it to take you after college - are you trying to play professionally? Go to the Olympics? If not, remember that sports will not be your entire life forever, and you may eventually evolve out of it being a main part of your identity. You can still be a team player and be committed to your team but sometimes in college, depending on the level of competitiveness you are playing at, something has to give so you can take care of other priorities. For example, don't be afraid to ask your coach if you can attend office hours if you need help in a class, and show up slightly late to practice or a workout - you can still prove to your teammates that you are committed to them through your practices and how you treat them. Also, if you get sick (which you inevitably will your first year in dorms especially!) take the time to get better and rest so you don't risk your health for sports.
One surprising thing is that you may actually feel that you have MORE free time in college compared to high school, because you have breaks between classes and flexibility throughout the day rather than a 8 hour block of classes like high school. Your practice schedule may not be too much more than you were doing in high school either if you were already playing competitively, and you will have people driving you to away games rather than you driving yourself which will save you time, so take advantage of that bus/train time too! The trick is to learn to use this free time productively, and not waste it!
It sometimes feels impossible to do all of the things you are mentioning, and sometimes one thing will have to give a bit temporarily to fit everything in, and that is okay. I would recommend taking a job that:
A) understands your priorities as a student and a student athlete - talk to other students on campus and see what kind of jobs they take. At my school, I worked the opening shift at the fitness center, so they understood the importance of sports and fitness, but when I wasn't answering questions or badging people in I could do work or reading for my classes. You could also look into places like front desks of libraries or offices, etc. Or student tutor opportunities so you can help yourself solidify the basics of your education with flexible hours while also getting paid! If you have the luxury to not have a job during the school year, I would encourage you to just enjoy what college has to offer though, and take a job or internship during the summer.
I would also encourage you to remember that college is about networking, connection, and friendship! Don't forget to allow yourself to have fun, go meet some new people and join some "fun" extracurriculars outside of your work that bring you joy and revitalize you.
Best of luck!
Talk to some future teammates or your coach to see what kind of jobs they recommend you take.
First of all, while athletics may seem like your whole life right now, keep in mind where you want it to take you after college - are you trying to play professionally? Go to the Olympics? If not, remember that sports will not be your entire life forever, and you may eventually evolve out of it being a main part of your identity. You can still be a team player and be committed to your team but sometimes in college, depending on the level of competitiveness you are playing at, something has to give so you can take care of other priorities. For example, don't be afraid to ask your coach if you can attend office hours if you need help in a class, and show up slightly late to practice or a workout - you can still prove to your teammates that you are committed to them through your practices and how you treat them. Also, if you get sick (which you inevitably will your first year in dorms especially!) take the time to get better and rest so you don't risk your health for sports.
One surprising thing is that you may actually feel that you have MORE free time in college compared to high school, because you have breaks between classes and flexibility throughout the day rather than a 8 hour block of classes like high school. Your practice schedule may not be too much more than you were doing in high school either if you were already playing competitively, and you will have people driving you to away games rather than you driving yourself which will save you time, so take advantage of that bus/train time too! The trick is to learn to use this free time productively, and not waste it!
It sometimes feels impossible to do all of the things you are mentioning, and sometimes one thing will have to give a bit temporarily to fit everything in, and that is okay. I would recommend taking a job that:
A) understands your priorities as a student and a student athlete - talk to other students on campus and see what kind of jobs they take. At my school, I worked the opening shift at the fitness center, so they understood the importance of sports and fitness, but when I wasn't answering questions or badging people in I could do work or reading for my classes. You could also look into places like front desks of libraries or offices, etc. Or student tutor opportunities so you can help yourself solidify the basics of your education with flexible hours while also getting paid! If you have the luxury to not have a job during the school year, I would encourage you to just enjoy what college has to offer though, and take a job or internship during the summer.
I would also encourage you to remember that college is about networking, connection, and friendship! Don't forget to allow yourself to have fun, go meet some new people and join some "fun" extracurriculars outside of your work that bring you joy and revitalize you.
Best of luck!
Kaitlyn recommends the following next steps: