advice for the working student

[jujubeans119]

hello!

i am new in the forums. i plan to attend the spring 2007 semester and am looking at jiaotong or east normal in shanghai. my level of chinese hovers a little above basic.

i telecommute for work via internet and plan to bring work when i study in shanghai to pay for my daily expenses etc. how is the study load in these unis? is it possible to hold a full time job while studying? or should i just opt for part-time work? or is it a foolhardy set-up in the first place?

many thanks

joyce

[kdavid]

I'm not quite sure about the work load you'll find at those schools, but I can say this much from experience...

I am both working AND studying full time. Unfortunately, I find that my work takes precedence over my studying, and this is disheartening as my sole reason for coming to China wasn't to work, but to study (I, like you, need the cash to survive, and work is paying for my education). I would be ecstatic if I could drop my work-load and learn full time, but that isn't possible.

So, I make time. I wake up early every morning to study and stay up late at night. I spend my lunch breaks walking around talking to as many people as possible, and all of my downtime reviewing my notes / flashcards. Plus, the staff at my job is all Chinese, and, while they speak fluent English, they understand that I'm studying and thus speak Chinese with me all day and are ready to assist me with any problems or issues I have regarding my studies.

Working and studying full-time is possible. You won't progress as quickly as the HITers who study 18 hours a day taking a full load with no job, but it is possible to progress at a satisfying pace with enough discipline and dedication.

Hope this helps.

[jujubeans119]

thanks for the advice kdavid