by Gabriela Yorgova and Lauren Spencer
Higher education students often find themselves ridden with stress and anxiety as they struggle to balance work and university, research has shown. Two students share their different experiences of balancing work and study.
Young and stressed
Maitlyn Morman is sat cross-legged on the floor in front of her couch. Her dark hair is pulled back into a single loose braid, with tiny pieces peeking out from behind her ears. Her crewneck reads Stratline Painting in retro white letters. “This sweatshirt is one of my favourites,” she points.
Morman is a 20-year-old Sociology student at the University of Texas at Tyler. On top of being a full-time student, she puts in 20 to 25 hours a week working at a car dealership in order to be able to support herself financially.
She decided not to rely on her parents’ financial support at all after she moved out of their house, wanting to be wholly responsible for herself. When asked about how her mental health has changed since becoming independent from her parents, she pauses, her head tilted in thought.
“My mental health has greatly improved … my parents and I don’t see eye-to-eye on quite a few things. But the financial stress has taken a toll on me. Moving out so quickly, I haven’t been able to get my money management down yet.
“I’m always stressed about things like, ‘Oh, I need to work more; I don’t need to spend money; I shouldn’t buy groceries this week,’” she waves her hands to demonstrate.
She’s not alone in her worries. More than one third [36%] of university students experience financial stress that impacts their mental wellbeing, according to research conducted by the NUS and commissioned by Future Finance.
Another study found that working a part-time job and being in debt have a small-but-detrimental effect on students’ physical and mental health.
Finding balance
Morman struggles to find balance among her busy schedule. “Honestly the hardest part is managing everything. I have so many hours that I have to study. I have so many hours that I have to work to pay my bills and actually go to school,” she taps her hand on the table in front of her. “While I’m doing my budget, I’m thinking, ‘I could be doing school right now’ so that’s where the stress comes in.”
She enjoys getting lost in a good novel when she’s feeling tense. “It helps me become engulfed in another world.” She also mentions that exercising and eating healthy meals help her feel less worried.
When asked about what advice she would give to other students who experience the same anxiety, Morman says, “Take the time at least once a week to sit down and budget to see if you’re on track or not. Even if it’s tedious, it really helps. It makes me less stressed knowing what days my bills are coming and how much money it’s gonna be.”
“You can always take a nap, too,” she laughs. “I always feel better when I wake up.”
Busy but comfortable
Neha Doshi is sitting in the London Met library, engulfed in a book, focused on her assignment. Her brown hair is tied in a bun, with a few curls falling on the sides of her face. Her green jacket with some blue details is complimenting the colour of her eyes.
She is a 30-year-old PhD student who shares a disparate view. “I’m in quite a comfortable financial position,” she says.
Doshi is a recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s PhD Scholarship and studies Race, Podcasting, and Social Media. She works not only as a part-time English teacher, but also as a second-year tutor. Most of her weekends are coloured by work and study, though she notes that this doesn’t contribute to any financial stress.
Doshi may not be feeling much mental or financial strain, but the numbers don’t lie: almost three quarters [64%] of students constantly worry about money, the Future Finance survey found. Many universities offer wellbeing support to students. London Metropolitan University offers a free counselling service to all current students. Learn more here.
For more resources and information, visit the NHS website here.
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