Balancing Work and Study: The Student Experience and University Policies

Certain universities do not (16) _________ students to work at all. At other universities, students can work but the jobs have to be on the campus. In this way, the university (17) _________ control the type of work and the number of hours being done. Nathan Armes, a third-year psychology student, works (18)_________ a cloakroom attendant at his university and hasn't encountered any difficulties in balancing this job with his studies. He said: 'Financially, it's allowed me  (19) _________more comfortably and to socialise without having to worry so much about how much I've (20) _________. It's also proved a great way of meeting people and making new friends.' Nathan also commented that his employer offered more flexible hours and the option to work reduced hours during busier study periods like exam season.

The University of Oxford (21) _________not allow students to undertake part-time work during term time, except under 'exceptional circumstances'. It is widely felt that this has a positive impact (22)_________students. It should also be said that Oxford's shorter eight-week terms provide greater opportunity to work during the holidays.

Whether it is employment outside term time or (23) _________ ongoing part-time job, the economic reality for most students is that some additional income is essential. But can this work complement academic study? NUS research into employment services for university and college students found that 'the overwhelming consensus was that part-time work brought considerable positive benefits provided there was a work-study balance'. The University of Ulster actively encourages students to pursue various work experience opportunities alongside (24) _________studies, even allowing students to gain extra credits for working in a part-time joB.

Perhaps, if degree study aims ultimately to equip undergraduates for employment, more students could benefit from having access to (25) _________ kind of support.

An undergraduate degree costs £27,000 in fees alone, so many university students feel they have to have a (16) _________ joB. But does part-time employment mix with studying for a degree? In many countries,  (17)_________   as the USA, it is quite normal to have a part-time job or get a sports scholarship to help finance your studies. Both take up a lot of your free time but help to (18) _________  your level of debt. Furthermore, they both give you additional useful life skills.

A 2019 study (19) _________ that 70% of students in the UK have a part-time job whilst at university, with nine out of ten of that number working as many as 20 hours per week. (20) _________ majority of universities, however, recommend that (21) _________only take on a maximum of between 10 and 15 hours' employment per week during the academic term.

Meaghan Dixon, a former student at Kingston University, worked in both a supermarket and a local convenience store (22) _________ studying, in total working an average of 15–20 hours per week. She said she needed both jobs in order to live. One of her jobs paid for her food and the other paid for transport to go to the first job! She used her student (23 ) _________  to pay the rent on her flat. She never had much free time, as she was always studying, working or tired.

Meaghan believes that her academic performance suffered as a result of (24) _________ employment outside of university. She added: 'I think my grades would have been better if I hadn't (25) _________, but then I couldn't have been at university without my jobs.'

Martin Lewis is a British journalist, TV presenter and writer. He knows a lot about money: how to spend it, where (16) _________ it, and, most of all, how to save it!

Martin was always interested (17) _________  saving money and helping other people to save money. He gave tips to friends about it, he talked about it on television and he (18) _________  about it in a national newspaper. In 2003, he decided to start a website, moneysavingexpert.com. He paid a man in Uzbekistan £100 to design the site and soon thousands of people were using it. (19) _________ website gave lots of useful information. It told people (20) _________  times of the day supermarkets had the most special offers. It helped people get discounts on everything from clothes to holidays. It told people when shops had sales on. The website helped people to buy things that they (21) _________   afford to buy before. And if you needed (22)_________   money to buy a new car or a house, it told you which banks were the best to lend it to you. Lots of people started using moneysavingexpert.com and started telling (23) _________   friends about it.

The website has been a huge success and Martin has done very (24) _________. Over 16 million people now use moneysavingexpert.com every month and in 2012, Martin Lewis sold the site to another company for £87 million. But Martin hasn't stopped helping people. After selling the website, he gave away over £10 million to charities that help people look after their money. He's certainly made a lot of people (25) _________. And it all started with £100.

When you leave school or university you must think carefully about what you would like to do next. Here, some young people tell us (16) _________ experiences.

Malcolm, 19

I thought (17) _________  my skills and qualifications, and then about me. I've always liked working in a team, I like being outside and I decided I (18) _________ work in an office every day. Someone suggested I train to be a builder. I go to college Monday and Friday, and work Tuesday to Thursday. I have to get up early (19) _________  I can't go out in the evenings, but I'm learning a useful skill.

Freya, 21

I love art and design and I've always (20) _________ to do something I enjoy. I decided to study to become an architect. I'm learning so much and I'm doing what I want, which is really important. I have to study every day of the week and I just hope I can find a job (21) _________  I leave university.

Cara, 28

I work (22) _________a number of companies as a book designer. I'm self-employed, which means I work on my own and not in a team. When I'm very busy I (23) _________work long hours, in the evenings and sometimes at weekends. But I really like my job, and I can work at home, so I can  I say that I have a really nice working environment! I don't have to deal with customers or a manager! When I'm busy I can (24)_________ a very good salary, but I'm not always busy.

James, 24

I've always liked animals. Earning a really good salary is important to me too, so I studied to be (25)_________ vet. I have to work long hours and I must study at home most weekends, but I know it is worth it when I'm helping sick animals.

Two years ago, I went from London to Barcelona in Spain by train. I (16)_______ planning to stay in Spain for a year so I (17)________ two big suitcases and a backpack. Why (18)_______so much? I don't know. I changed trains in Paris. I had to go across the city by underground to another station. When I got off the train at my stop, I (19)________ two suitcases, just one, and my backpack. I saw the second suitcase through the window of the train but the train was already moving. How silly (20)______ me!  The journey to Barcelona was at night and I (21) _______ most of the way. Some people (22) ______ a noise but they didn't bother me. (23) _________ at me? I don’t know. When I woke up in the morning, my suitcase wasn't there! Now I only had my backpack. But I was lucky – everything (24) _____ was in it. Did I miss my suitcases? No, (25) _____ . This journey taught me a useful lesson – now I never travel with a lot of luggage.

Text 7

Read this website page giving advice about preparing for job interviews. Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) for each space.

Advice for people going to interviews

Before you go to a job interview, it is very important (16) ________ well for it. There are several things you can do, so what (17) _______ do first? They will probably ask you some questions about the company to find out what you know about it, so (18) _______ at the information on their website.

Then you need to think about clothes and to decide what (19) _________ because it is important to look good. And don’t forget to clean your shoes!

(20) _________ the journey to your interview very carefully because it is important (21)__________ late. You might decide (22) _________ there, but leave early because there might be a traffic jam. During the interview, you (23) _________ speak clearly and be relaxed. It is good to ask some questions about the job but you (24) _______ ask too many. At the end of the interview you might be surprised to find that you actually (25) __________ it!

Read a young man's story about a journey. Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) for each space

Good to give

The psychological effects of giving

We all know that spending money on objects and experiences (16) ________us a lot of happiness, but there is also lots of research that shows that spending on others can help us feel (17) ________ and healthier, too. It has long been understood that charitable behaviour can make us happier. A 2008 study using data from Germany showed that volunteering time for charitable work increased both life satisfaction and happiness. This is supported  (18) ________research from the University of California that shows how doing kind things for others, even strangers, can increase (19) _______levels of happiness for several weeks.

The physical effects of giving

One of the (20) _________  for this increased happiness is that there are effects (21) _______ our bodies as well as our minds when we (22) _________our time or money. Psychologists McClelland and Kirshnitt found that even thinking about spending on others could increase the (23) ________of a chemical in the body which fights disease. In fact, keeping money for yourself can actually have (24) ______negative effect. People who give away more money have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood. Recent research into brain activity has (25) _________ that giving money to charity affects parts of the brain connected to pleasure and reward

Read the blog about someone's first job as a hairdresser. Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) for each space.

Dear Zuzana,

How are you? I hope you and your family are all well.

Last weekend (16)__________ fantastic. I (17) ________to visit my aunt and uncle. They live in Scotland now. (18) _______ to Scotland yet? It was my first visit and I loved (19) ______. My uncle and aunt moved there two months (20) _______ because my uncle got a job in the Bank of Scotland. My aunt's a teacher but she (21) ………… work yet.

They have already bought a flat (22) _______ the centre of Edinburgh, the capital city. They needed to (23) ______ a lot of money for it and it's very nice. I'd love to buy my own flat but I haven’t (24) _________  enough money yet.

Do write and tell me how things are with you. I know you wanted to learn (25) ________. Have you already started to have lessons?

All best wishes,

Fiona

Read the text below and choose the correct word for each space.

My first job!

I've just got my first job as a hairdresser! To apply (16) ________ jobs, you have to get a qualification – I got mine last month. The job is fun but also (17) _______. I stand most of the day and (18) _______ only sit down for a few minutes at break times.  Our customers are very important. There's a sign in our staff room: ‘Employees mustn’t be (19)_______to customers’. It's a rule! Another rule is that we need to look nice, but we can (20) ___________ our own clothes. I'm glad that we don’t have to wear (21) ________ work clothes. Although this (22)_________ not be my perfect job, I'm happy for now. It's a great place to work so I'm (23)________ it will be a good start to my career. I need this experience, so I've decided that I (24)___________ change jobs for at least a year. Will this be a (25) __________ career for the future? I think so – a computer can't cut your hair ... at least, not yet! But it might be possible in the future!