5 Starbucks Student-Employees Give Their Biggest Tips For Balancing Work, School, And Life

Balancing school, work, extracurricular, and personal life responsibilities can be a lot, and no one knows this better than the busy students who are part of the Starbucks College Achievement Plan (SCAP).

Since 2014, Starbucks has offered its employees the ability to pursue their education through an online partnership with Arizona State University, a huge perk that thousands of team members have taken. The program makes you work on your time management abilities, but as any college student knows, the payoff is worth it.

If you want a couple of pointers for juggling everything from people who get what you’re going through, here are their top five tips for staying grounded and stress-free. And if you like what you see, good news: Starbucks is hiring baristas nationwide.

1. Take Time to Plan

“I am very strategic with my time to ensure I have a healthy balance between work, school, and my personal life. At the start of the term, I ensure that all due dates are put into my personal calendar to help with my planning. I have learned that my calendar is my life, otherwise I will forget something! Additionally, I always protect a ‘rest’ day (typically Mondays); this is a day where I do nothing except rest (don’t open a book). This [is], of course, flexible to accommodate my schedules.” – Kyle, Business (Global Leadership) major

Planning might seem overrated, but when you’re trying to juggle your school, work, and personal lives, you’ll be glad you’ve taken time to understand what’s expected of you and how you should schedule your days.

And the idea of having a rest day? It’s critical to putting your best foot forward and feeling refreshed to take on whatever comes your way.

2. Work (and Play) Smart

“The first thing I do during the first week of class is look at my syllabus and time how long it takes for me to complete assignments, that way I can plan my homework schedule around my work schedule. I buy all of my textbooks on my Kindle, or even better, on Audible.com if its available. I find it very time efficient if I can read or listen to my books on my commute home from work, or while I’m on the elliptical at the gym. Lastly, be intentional with scheduling time for your social life, and turn your phone off and leave your laptop at home so you can remain present.” – Ashley, Mass Communications and Media Studies major

When you have a lot to do, it’s easy to get burned out if you’re not thinking about how best to utilize your time. When are times when you can multitask and accomplish several to-dos at once? Use those moments.

3. Build a Network

“Returning to school through SCAP is an amazing benefit, and I want to get the most out of my educational experience. I have gone back to using a paper planner to manage all of my commitments. One thing that has really helped is communicating workload to close friends and family. This helps them understand what schoolwork I have coming up and, as an added bonus, I have found that I have a great support system!” – Rob, Communications major

Being a college student is challenging no matter what your major, extracurriculars, or work commitments, so being able to find friends and family members you can lean on can make all the difference.

Stressing over finals? Have a late night snack with a friend as a study break. Going home after a long week? You’d be surprised how much better you’ll feel when your mom does your laundry for you. It’s the little things that make the difference.

4. Utilize Extra Time

“At the beginning of every session I look at my syllabus and calendar then map out where my assignments are due. I organize my time each week around my deadlines similar to what I do with work projects. Anytime I can study while being “idle” I take advantage. You can study anywhere, really; an example is during my nephew’s football practice. Instead of taking time to drive home and back, I stay at the field and complete my weekly readings for the class. It’s all about maximizing time.” – Melissa, Organizational Leadership major

You might look at your schedule and think about have absolutely no extra time to devote to studying or working on extracurriculars, but when you’re honest with yourself, you’re sure to find gaps where you can get everything done.

5. Set Boundaries

“I make sure that there are boundaries set at work so I don’t work later then I should. I don’t take too many classes and I schedule my classes so I do work everyday. I don’t have much of a social life but I do try to take a break if I am feeling overwhelmed.” – Jessi, Graphic Information Technology major

One of the hardest things to do in college is to say no from time to time, but it’s absolutely necessary for keeping yourself sane and on track.

Before you take on another commitment (whether it be another class, club, or job), ask yourself these questions:

• What do I gain from doing this that I can’t get from the commitments I already have?
• What time commitment does this require? Do I have time to do work outside of the commitment if need be?
• If I needed to spend more time on this commitment, what would I drop to find that time?

Want to work for a company that values students who balance school, work, and life (and also knows a thing or two about good coffee)? Starbucks is currently hiring baristas on WayUp!

Starbucks is dedicated to helping 25,000 employees graduate by 2025 by providing full tuition reimbursement for a bachelor’s degree via Arizona State University’s online program. You only have to work an average of 20 hours per week to access this exciting benefit as well as many others (free drinks, free food, health coverage, 401k, stock, and a free Premium Spotify account to name a few!). You can learn more about the Starbucks College Achievement Plan here.

Starbucks Barista-Approved Drink Combo: “I enjoy an Iced Starbucks Double Shot with either Vanilla or Toffee Nut. It’s a nice boost of caffeine that has a well balanced flavor of coffee and sweetness! Tasty!” – Kyle, Business (Global Leadership) major

Barista Application Tip!

Did you know you can submit your application to up to 5 stores at one time? In order to stand out after submitting your application, stop by the store(s) you applied to and introduce yourself to the manager or shift supervisor. Let them know you recently applied and what excites you about the opportunity. If you don’t get a call for an interview within 60 days, you can re-apply to the same or different stores. Good luck!