Balancing Physics BS, Work, & Learning: My Class/Work Schedule

[Shackleford]

I'm working on a Physics BS and in my junior year. After this semester, I'll start the upper level physics courses. This semester is my last for non-math or science courses, but I am also taking Differential Equations. I currently work about 20 hours/week. Next semester, my classes will be Modern Physics I, Vector Analysis, and Introduction to PDE. Each semester henceforth is full of upper level physics courses and I need a senior level math course to complete my minor. I want to continue working part-time, but is 20 hours too much? I know these physics courses are conceptually heavy, not necessarily work heavy. I like to have time to absorb the material and actually learn it and not be rushed each week, etc. Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[MissSilvy]

Depends. I work 15+ hours a week as a librarian, so I essentially get paid to do my homework. If it's a job like that and you can do a bit of studying, why not? If it's like retail or something else that has no down time, I might reconsider.

 

[Shackleford]

Depends. I work 15+ hours a week as a librarian, so I essentially get paid to do my homework. If it's a job like that and you can do a bit of studying, why not? If it's like retail or something else that has no down time, I might reconsider.

It's not a job like that and it's not retail. I work in an office at an economic development organization. I'm not really supposed to work on homework, but my immediate bosses don't mind if there's not too much to do. However, they're supposed to have stuff for me to do to keep me busy. The program I work in will really be picking up next year, so I won't have much "free time" at work at all.

 

[MissSilvy]

If you need the money and absolutely can't stop, then I don't think there's much of a choice. It can be done, but in my experience, working that many hours and taking a difficult course load usually is managed at the expense of cutting into socializing and free time. You could scale back your hours until you get a sense of what you have time for and what you don't, keep the same hours, or drop the job entirely. It's completely up to you :) Good luck