Please help I’m meant to be starting an Advanced Science degree at Monash this year and I live in Perth, and I literally haven’t a clue how to live on my own. Is it possible to have a job while you study and support yourself without financial support from you parents, while still achieving academically?
Yes, sure, it just depends on the type of person you are. It can be impossible for some and easy for others, so really, you’re the best judge of yourself, and you’re obviously going to know whether or not you can survive by yourself. It’s like asking whether it’s possible to create a successful startup business if you drop out of college - it’s possible for some e.g. Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, etc. and impossible for others. I’m just saying the way the question is phrased means that the answer is something only you would really know.
Staying Afloat Academically Whilst Living Alone
If, on the other hand, you actually wanted to ask “how can I have a job whilst I study, support myself without help from my parents, and still achieve academically?”, then I can answer that.
Learn how to do your household chores. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, if you can’t manage to do all of these efficiently (not necessarily well) then it’s going to cut into all the time you have for studying and working part-time.
Learn how to budget and manage money. How to find sales and discounts. There are also discounts you can get specifically for students. There may be concessions that you can get living out of state. There’s also Centrelink support if you’re studying and living by yourself I believe. But you need to apply for it. Learn the cost of rent, utilities, food, and transportation.
If you can, test run living ‘by yourself’. Estimate the amount of money you would get from a part time job and try to budget using that amount. Try paying your parents rent. Buy everything and cook everything yourself. Adjust your budget as you go.
Save up an emergency fund. Just in case things go bust and you won’t be able to work for a while, you’ll still need something to pay for your accommodation and other household expenses. Save up enough to support yourself for at least 1 semester, even before you leave home. If need be, borrow the money from your parents and factor in repayments in your budget so that you can return the money within the first year.
Don’t overwork. This is critical - so many students think that they can handle that one extra day to earn maybe an additional $150, but in the long run, they end up failing their exams because they didn’t leave themselves sufficient time to study. It’s going to set you back at least a half year of income because you need to extend your graduation date, plus the cost of tuition if you need to repeat the course.
If you can, try and find work on campus. Saves you travelling and using more money and time opportunity cost. They’ll also be more understanding if you need time off before exams.
Find accommodation that is cheap and is close to university. You can’t underestimate how good living close to or on campus is for both your mental and physical health. If you have to travel an hour to and from university, it’s going to exhaust you and you won’t be able to do either your chores or your studies.
Know when you need a helping hand. Obviously, living alone for the first time and not knowing what to do means that you’re more prone to becoming overwhelmed by the sheer amount of chores and study that you need to do in university compared to high school. First year uni isn’t so bad, but second year and beyond becomes more complex, so if you need to ask your parents to borrow a bit of money or your friend to help you out with something now and again, it’s okay. You’re not alone, and there are also mentors and older students who can give you advice about dorm life if need be.
Of course, you also need to learn how to study effectively. There’s so much to say, masterpost upon masterpost, so have a read of my 15-Part University Series for a primer on differences between high school and university. I’ve also answered many questions relating to studying in the past as well.
Hope that helps, if you wanted to know something specifically, then message me any specific questions you have ^__^
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