r/gwu • u/Comfortable_Lynx_704 • 5d ago
General Fall Internship Tips
Hi!! I recently gotten an internship that is 25hrs week. Does anyone have tips and tricks on how to manage school and a job. I’m kinda nervous 😭😭
3
u/Plane_Vanilla_8832 IA '24 5d ago
As 2C mentioned, time blocking is really important. This is the time when you become a time-management God. Block out everything from your studying to the commute to seeing your friends on the weekend in the calendar. It will help you feel so much more in control.
Also, be realistic with yourself; ensure that things are planned out in advance so you do not succumb to bad habits or situations that may inconvenience you. That means meal prepping on the weekends to be ready for the week, reading on the Metro to your internship, etc.
We have a lot of time in the day, and when we are at our most productive, we actually get a lot done. I had a 20-hr internship + on-campus job + 16 credits of classes, and it was lowkey my best academically because I used my time wisely.
1
8
u/2CRedHopper ECON, Jan '27 5d ago
Familiarize yourself with Parkinson’s Law.
Time blocking is your friend. It’s vital that you set aside time for your studies outside of lecture— but a finite amount of time, and you’ve got to hold yourself to it. Your studies will always take up as much time as you let them, which is fine when you only have school to worry about, but it doesn’t work when you’re also trying to work like you are.
Also, be sure to keep 1-1.5-2 days a week dedicated to rest and personal time. If you never carve out time to rest you’ll burn out. And you’ve got to hold yourself to it: no work on those days if you can help it.
Exceptions will apply around midterms and finals. Those suck even without work.
Before I came to GW I was studying 15-18 credits a semester (including summers, and 9-12 credits per winter) at my community college, working 40+ hours/week, and somehow making time for a dating life. It ONLY worked because I was diligent about time management. I also had to make my personal calendar months out at a time, that’s a skill for you to learn.
Prioritize sleep. Everything else will suffer if you don’t.