By Toma Lynn Smith

“With tuitions rising sharply, more and more college and graduate students are being forced to work on the side to support themselves. How can you find time for both work and school?”

This is the question asked on the Web site http://www.eHow.com in the article “How to Juggle Work and College or Graduate School.” The Web site offers several suggestions to manage time for both work and school.

“Inform all your professors, teaching assistants and employers about your situation, so that they can be flexible as well. Keeping them in the loop is the best way to keep them on your side,” the article stated.

Christine Steineck, instructor of Introduction to Interpersonal Communication, said “[Communication is] a very popular qualification that many employers seek today. This can also demonstrate willingness to learn and give great references to use for future employers.”

Make the most use of time; use public transit time to look over notes or read a few pages read of that novel for English class. Since the University of Louisville population is almost 90 percent commuter students, the Commuter Student Services, located in Davidson Hall, Room 105, is utilized by many.

There you will find tables for eating or studying. Probably the most useful items are the couches and recliner chairs, where some students choose to take a nap. This is much better than using a desk during class.

The best suggestion eHow.com offers is, “Don’t just work, start your career.” Working in the students’ chosen field of study can give them a jumpstart for a chosen job market and lets a person know if they’re on the right path.

Graduate student of U of L’s College of Education and Human Development John Beechem is currently working as a full-time student teacher with Louisville’s Jefferson County Public Schools. Although unpaid, he does receive college credit and experience, which never hurts to have in any field.

He was a substitute teacher last semster which he was paid for and is now on track to becoming a high school English teacher. Beechem supplements his income by working at Qdoba Mexican Grill on the weekends.

Fast food seems to be a popular choice among those in college. They offer flexibilty and in some cases motivation.

Alex Wiseman, freshman and business management major, said his current job of pizza delivery with Pizza Hut encourages him to complete his college degree. He has no desire to have a career in this greasy industry.

Jobs of all kinds can give tools for a future career choice. One thing Wiseman has learned with this job is teamwork, which is an asset employers seek, according to http://www.hotjobs.com.

Wiseman says he can also make some cash in a short amount of time, which seems to be on short supply for those in and out of college.

Resources for Academic Achievement (REACH) and U of L’s counseling services are avenues to use, which offer tutoring and workshops including sessions about time management.

More information can be obtained at http://www.louisville.edu, which offer links to these and other departments.

Toma Lynn Smith is a junior majoring in English. E-mail her at features@louisvillecardinal.com.