From Work to Night Class: Helpful Tips for Employed Grad Students on the Go

As a full-time professional and full-time grad student, I'm always short on time and looking for smart ways to transition from work to class. On the nights I have class, I rarely have a break in between to change or grab the right notebook. While it’s important to separate work from school, to find that break, it’s equally important to combine the two in a way that keeps you organized and on task. Here are a few simple tips that have kept me a presentable, responsible, and happy working grad:

1. Dress for day to evening: dress professionally for work, but bring a change of clothes for your night class. I incorporate T-shirts and blazers into most of my office wear so I can put on more comfortable pants later without changing entirely. No one wants to sit in a pencil skirt or pantsuit for that long.

2. Get yourself a weekly planner that includes a time block grid: it's important to visualize your priorities. I find planners with time grids to be the most helpful; in one glance I can see the staff meeting I have at 1pm and the group project I’m managing at 6. For those interested, Target sells great daily planners.

3. Do your homework at home: don't do class assignments in the office. It's not only unprofessional, but also unproductive. The quality of your work will suffer from dividing your attention between paper writing and what you're really supposed to be working on between 9 and 5.

4. Take a break! Whether it's during your lunch break or after class, set aside time to do something you enjoy each day. Reading and exercise do it for me, though I do enjoy a Real Housewives episode now and again.