Managing my money at uni: how part – time work helps me

Hello, my name is Halyna, I am a second-year forensic psychology student at YSJ. No one really teaches you how to manage money at university. You’re just sort of… released into the wild with a student card and a vague hope it will all work out. For me, part-time work became the thing that quietly saved my finances — and my sanity.

I found my first part-time job at a jobs fair, which I highly recommend. There’s something powerful about talking to a real human instead of sending your CV into the internet void and hoping for mercy. Later, I also found a freelance part-time role as a student blogger through Handshake, which honestly felt like a win. I can work from home, create videos, write blogs, and still feel like a student — just one with deadlines and invoices.

Finding work wasn’t smooth at first. I’m not a native English speaker, and when I arrived in the UK, I had zero local work experience. That combination can make job hunting feel like a psychological endurance test. But I showed up, applied a lot (sometimes a lot), and stayed consistent. Eventually, effort turned into interviews, interviews into work, and work into money and confidence.

What helped me secure my roles? Simple things that employers secretly love: punctuality, responsibility, reliability, and stress resilience. I’m the person who shows up, stays calm when it’s busy, and doesn’t disappear when things get hard. Physical fitness also helped more than I expected — long shifts on your feet are no joke, and being active genuinely makes a difference.

Financially, having a part-time job gave me independence and flexibility. I follow one rule religiously: every month, I move a small amount into savings — even if it’s just a tiny amount. It’s not about being rich; it’s about feeling secure. Knowing you have a buffer changes how you think, plan, and sleep. Plus, earning my own money meant I could do things like learn to drive, which has been a game-changer for flexibility.

Balancing work, study, gym, social life, and self-development sounds impressive — until you realise it’s impossible without organisation. I use calendar and planning apps for everything. If it’s not written down, it doesn’t exist. That’s not a personality flaw; it’s a survival strategy.

My advice to other students? Apply more than you think you should. Sometimes you’ll apply ten times and get one interview — that’s normal. Be honest about your availability, look for student-friendly roles, and don’t underestimate hospitality, care work, or volunteering as starting points. Volunteering especially can quietly open doors later.

Final thought: even one shift a week gives you confidence, structure, and a sense of control. A part-time job isn’t just about money — it’s about learning how to run your life while studying. And that might be the most useful degree add-on of all.

Find out more about managing money at York St John