| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Studying and working simultaneously: is it possible to reach positive results in both spheres? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Studying and working simultaneously: is it possible to reach positive results in both spheres?".
This poll was originally submitted by Susanna Martoni. View the poll results »
| | | | Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 19:11
English to French
+ ...
Isn't that a matter of age and financial obligations? I tried 4 years ago, but with a 35 hours/week training schedule + 4 hours commuting/day and being the only breadwinner, I soon realised I would not reach my goals in studying or work, and gave up the studying long before the end of the school year.
I had no problem with that when I was around 20 and a student at uni, holding successive student jobs, but never full time: my studying schedule was even denser then - up to 48... See more Isn't that a matter of age and financial obligations? I tried 4 years ago, but with a 35 hours/week training schedule + 4 hours commuting/day and being the only breadwinner, I soon realised I would not reach my goals in studying or work, and gave up the studying long before the end of the school year.
I had no problem with that when I was around 20 and a student at uni, holding successive student jobs, but never full time: my studying schedule was even denser then - up to 48 hours/week, just for classes - with a maximum of 2 hours commuting/day. After the 1st year, I was allowed to live close to campus. I had no financial obligations then and could always rely on my parents when necessary.
[Modifié le 2012-01-03 16:25 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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I used to work since my 17, back in high school (cosmetics distributor and waitress, not so relevant, but still).
Then while in university I offered homework help for children with disabilities. Parents were very happy with the results. In my last year at university I worked as a part time interpreter and translator in a development company, with a Greek boss that would need a translator all the time. I was not so good back then ... See more I used to work since my 17, back in high school (cosmetics distributor and waitress, not so relevant, but still).
Then while in university I offered homework help for children with disabilities. Parents were very happy with the results. In my last year at university I worked as a part time interpreter and translator in a development company, with a Greek boss that would need a translator all the time. I was not so good back then and I still remember some mistakes I made. He was kind and understood I can not have perfect knowledge of Greek after only 3 years of study. I left there because of deadlines for papers and exams (last year).
I was always first in my group. It requires hard working and concentration. It also means you won't have time for yourself, but you can do both. In my case I had to leave work only for the last months of the last university year, because studies were the priority and I wanted good results, not just medium results. ▲ Collapse
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all the working students out there do, but it depends on the work and on the studies (medicine?), among other things...
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Reed James
Chile
Local time: 13:11
Member (2005)
Spanish to English
| It depends on the individual | Jan 3, 2012 |
I have met some pretty amazing people, so it really depends.
| | | | | Literally simultaneously | Jan 3, 2012 |
The best student job I ever held was as an evening/weekend computer operator (back in the heyday of the mainframe). My job consisted mainly of helping students in the computer lab, running backups, and being on hand in case anything happened. I was able to get a fair amount of work done during the long, lonely graveyard shifts on the weekends, along with perfecting my Freecell solitaire game!
| | | | Michael Harris 
Germany
Local time: 19:11
Member (2006)
German to English
definately. But it also depends on your life situation. I started to study ecconomics, but had to give it up after 3 of 6 years because the workload / family / private life just became too much. I was really angry, but that is the way things go when work just becomes too much and you cant really manage everything without anything else having to suffer.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 19:11
Spanish to English
+ ...
My colleague is currently studying Spanish philology and manages to fit in any occasional translation assignments that come up, as well as caring for her ailing mother more or less full-time into the bargain. Her work is usually flawless.
She may have to postpone the studies for a year, but for now she is managing to keep it all going. Not everyone has such true grit though.
[Edited at 2012-01-03 12:06 GMT]
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| It calls for discipline and balance and support from the family | Jan 3, 2012 |
There are only so many hours in a day and days in a year.
It calls for careful consideration of your other commitments, and as Interlangue pointed out, some programmes cannot be combined with commuting and supporting a family as the only breadwinner.
You MUST have sleep, exercise and a reasonable diet, though I assure you, a cheap and largely vegetarian diet is perfectly healthy and satisfying, as I have proved at different periods of my life.
Working and s... See more There are only so many hours in a day and days in a year.
It calls for careful consideration of your other commitments, and as Interlangue pointed out, some programmes cannot be combined with commuting and supporting a family as the only breadwinner.
You MUST have sleep, exercise and a reasonable diet, though I assure you, a cheap and largely vegetarian diet is perfectly healthy and satisfying, as I have proved at different periods of my life.
Working and studying can be very hard, especially when the children are small, and I've tried that too, though I only had one child of my own. A supportive spouse or other close relative is indispensable. I found it worked very well when my son was in high school, my husband was also earning, and I had a four-day job - with commuting. I was studying half-time for my translation diploma for two years.
However, you DO need breaks and it should not be a permanent arrangement. Many other things in life are put on hold, and you need to get back to them, or you will surely regret it.
A diploma can never hug you like a grandchild, and your own children must take priority as and when they need attention... not sometime next year after the exams! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:11
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
If you have what it takes to become a successful freelance translator then you have the qualities needed to combine work and study effectively.
| | | | Amandine Added
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:11
Member (2010)
English to French
+ ...
| Difficult but possible ! | Jan 3, 2012 |
I had to start working right after high school when I was 18 but I enlisted to a French law school in the same time.
It took me 8 years to get my Master (all my friends were laughing at me ... imagine my family...) but I never gave up and at thirty years old I have a Master 1 (the french "Maîtrise") and a special diploma as Notary Clerk with 8 years working full time in the legal sector (and 4 years more of various professional experience).
I must admit I could have ... See more I had to start working right after high school when I was 18 but I enlisted to a French law school in the same time.
It took me 8 years to get my Master (all my friends were laughing at me ... imagine my family...) but I never gave up and at thirty years old I have a Master 1 (the french "Maîtrise") and a special diploma as Notary Clerk with 8 years working full time in the legal sector (and 4 years more of various professional experience).
I must admit I could have finished my studies earlier if I had worked harder but I also wanted to travel a lot so l made the choice to give priority to professional work and travels.
This was only possible du to my choice to go to University which is very cheap in France and I feel very lucky to have been able to have it all as in other countries studies are so expensive you do not want/cannot afford to fail...
Si difficult but possible if you know yourself and what you really want to achieve.
[Edited at 2012-01-03 17:26 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 02:11
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
A fact of life for all us translators is that we are in the knowledge business. We are paid for our skills and expertise, i.e. what we know and have learned so far. The more we know, the more we can handle content-wise and, hopefully, the more we can bill the client.
I never stopped studying when I left college - it taught me to study and research things on my own two feet.
You don't have to be physically enrolled in an educational institute to be actually "studying." If you ... See more A fact of life for all us translators is that we are in the knowledge business. We are paid for our skills and expertise, i.e. what we know and have learned so far. The more we know, the more we can handle content-wise and, hopefully, the more we can bill the client.
I never stopped studying when I left college - it taught me to study and research things on my own two feet.
You don't have to be physically enrolled in an educational institute to be actually "studying." If you don't know something you research it (hats off to the Internet!) and that's part of the translation package. It's becoming incrememtnally less, but a certain percentage of the working day is allocated to research.
Lifelong study is part of this territory. 
Happy translating! ▲ Collapse
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| As Mamande said: Difficult but possible! | Jan 3, 2012 |
I worked full-time as a bilingual secretary and took several distance courses. It is stressful, especially when you are the only one who earns money and are responsible for a small family. But it can work.
Main thing:
- Don't allow others to laugh at you or making jokes. They shall do the same to know what is going on or just shut up!
- Some will talk negative about it. Mainly those people, who have an easy life and rather envy you to take this step.
- Take time fo... See more I worked full-time as a bilingual secretary and took several distance courses. It is stressful, especially when you are the only one who earns money and are responsible for a small family. But it can work.
Main thing:
- Don't allow others to laugh at you or making jokes. They shall do the same to know what is going on or just shut up!
- Some will talk negative about it. Mainly those people, who have an easy life and rather envy you to take this step.
- Take time for yourself and don't forget to live now and then!
- Give yourself time to reach your goal! - But reach your goal!! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jenn Mercer
United States
Local time: 13:11
Member (2009)
French to English
I consistently got better grades when I was working at the same time. I have worked full-time and studied part-time, studied full-time and worked part-time, and done both with and without a child. In my experience, it was much harder to balance the demands of family with studying and work.
| | | | | totally depends | Jan 3, 2012 |
if it's a few hours per week (especially with flexible timing - like an online class where you can complete assignments and study when you have the free time to do it), yes, sure.
If it's 25-30+ hours per week for a few years and you depend on working full time to pay your bills, no, unless you decide to become like a robot, with no personal life.
Karin
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