While it is commonplace to find students hustling to work after their classes, the motivation behind it can be quite different for each of them. Today Nerdify reviews the advantages and disadvantages of such a lifestyle choice.

Juggling work and study is a lifestyle that is becoming more and more popular amongst students despite the difficulties in their programs. The pretty barista at a nearby Starbucks could be doing it for the additional income. Meanwhile, the young fitness instructor could be doing it solely for his passion. It is an opportunity that can serve many purposes.  Nerdify reviews team decided to speak up of a few pros and cons to consider! So, curious onlookers are recommended to think it over.

PROS:

1. You learn the value of hard-earned money

Many students are privileged enough to have their parents support them until they finish their education. While it may be comfortable, it would be difficult to grasp just how difficult it can be to earn a lot of cash in a competitive labor market under such circumstances. But, when you start earning your own money, each dollar in your pocket can start to mean more to you.

This is especially true for people getting paid a low-range salary, which is likely for students. It is terribly easy to use up all of your hard-earned monthly pay if you are not careful. You may start thinking twice about going to a night out with your friends.

2. You hone important life skills

There are certain lessons and skills that cannot be taught in the classroom. For example, when people work in the service industry, they likely encounter rude and unpleasant customers on a regular basis. As frustrating as it sounds, they have to learn to be courteous and patient with these people if they want to keep their jobs. Likewise, not everyone you will meet in your career will be easy to deal with. At least, others will be better prepared to handle it.

To add, student workers are more exposed to working alongside people that are much older and experienced than they are. They learn how to ask for some time off, apologize for mistakes, request for help, and the like. They also learn how to build working relationships with these people, which is a useful life skill.

3. You develop a better perspective for the future

This point is in Nerdify reviews for a reason. We strongly believe that with the work experience that students gain, they have a better grasp of what work life will be like once they graduate. Because of this, they can either better recognize what they want in their career, or what they definitely do not want to pursue as a career. They can also learn things that would deepen their understanding and appreciation of the industry. It all depends on whether the work that the students are taking now is fulfilling enough.

CONS:

1. Opportunity cost may be high for some

When you choose one opportunity, you are letting go of several other opportunities that you could have chosen instead. Likewise, choosing to spend a considerable amount of time at work can impede student’s studies, involvement in organizations, and other relevant activities. For some, the opportunity cost may be low. But, others could be letting go of something that could make them more competitive in the job market, such as winning national debate tournaments.

2. You may not be prepared for it

Finding work as a student is not recommended if the students are struggling with their academic workload, battling mental health problems, juggling too many commitments, and the like. Some may push through with it despite this to earn some extra money. However, work requires effort and sacrifice even if it is not full-time. You could be putting too much on your plate. Nerdify reviews team suggests paying attention to that.

3. Your job is not aligned with your career path

Most students take on part-time work that is not related to their majors nor to the career that they will be pursuing after graduation. This is not recommended unless money is the motive as relevant learnings can be quite few and far between. It would also not make much of an impact to an employer if it was put in your resume except to show your social and time management skills.

Work while studying can be a great opportunity or a waste of time. Students should first determine what their main motivation is for finding a job. They should then figure out if the job is the best opportunity there is to help them achieve their goals. In case you are still interested, try your best to work within your field of interest. But, if that is not possible, keep in mind that work can still help hone useful life skills. It can also signal to employers your drive and initiative even if it is not related to your major.

However, you must be prepared to handle it.

Here is another blog post dedicated to Nerdify reviews of the most interesting and important stuff. This time we want you to meet Chelsey – one of our top Nerds. Hear her out.

Hello, I’m Chelsey. I decided to contribute into Nerdify Reviews topic to share my experience and help people who suffer from the phenomenon of “unhealthy perfectionism”. I see myself as a perfectionist, albeit an unhealthy one. I mentally criticize people (specifically new ones) who I think do not meet my standards or expectations.  

I’m afraid of failure because I always want to be “perfect”. In school, I exert as much effort as I can in my exams. When the results are not in my favor, I would internally beat myself up for not getting the grade I desire. I tend to be overly cautious of taking risks, possibly rooted from my fear of failure. If I stay in my comfort zone, then nothing will happen.

I conducted a short research about perfectionism, and I’d say that (to an extent) I inhibit one of the main signs of a perfectionist. I’m not surprised; perfectionism does have harmful effects on my mental health.

What is Perfectionism?

Perfect means “… being entirely without fault or defect.” Now, if we look at Merriam-Webster’s definition of perfectionism, it means “… to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable.”

In psychology, perfectionism in the psychological field means “… striving for flawlessness and setting high-performance standards….”

If they do not meet such standards, it would take a huge toll on their self-esteem and self-worth. On the same vein, unattained goals and standards would contribute to disappointment and unhappiness. Possibly, even depression.

Why is it a Toxic Trait? 

People usually regard perfectionism as a “positive” trait. I’ve read articles that it is a cliché answer to the job question, “what is your weakness?”

Yes, it can be your weakness. But did you know perfectionism is more than that? Are you aware that it is toxic to your mental health and detrimental to your growth? For the curious soul, here are the reasons why:

You can’t bring yourself to commit mistakes or experience failure, for they make you believe you are incompetent. You have to be ready to face failure in order to be successful.

You don’t celebrate with pure joy and happiness. Instead, your success and achievements are met with scorn and self-criticism. Negative self-talk is what harms your happiness. You are too focused on the negative aspect of things.

You are afraid of being judged. You like other people to see you as a perfect human being (when in fact, you’re not). Perhaps you are hesitant in stating your flaws, as it may ruin your “perfect” self. There’s internal pressure involved too.

Apparently, these reasons are also correlated with the signs of perfectionism. Let us move on.

Five Signs of Perfectionism

1. Setting high (unrealistic) goals and standards

There’s nothing bad in establishing standards and not settling for anything less. It’s not even bad to have high goals. However, creating unrealistic standards and goals is unhealthy because they have to be realistic. Further, you are pressured to accomplish your goal no matter what. You may even have the tendency to expect that everyone has to abide by your… demanding and ultra-high standards. As said by Amy Morin, a psychotherapist. perfectionists are critical of people and expect them to be perfect as well.

2. Fear of failure/Making mistakes and staying within your comfort zone

You set a goal for yourself, but you are afraid of failure. In that regard, you are more inclined to focus on the end results (without fail) rather than enjoying the thrill and experience of achieving your goal.  On the other hand, you refuse to move out of your “shell” because you don’t want to disappoint yourself (or anyone). Hence, you lean towards tasks you can do successfully—100% guaranteed. This brings more harm than good to your mental health and personal growth.

3. Trust issues

According to Elizabeth Lombardo Ph.D., perfectionists rarely delegate tasks because they think that their peers cannot do the job correctly. In practical settings, you don’t trust your colleagues enough if you want to assign them work. In the end, you do everything by yourself.

4. Low self-esteem and unhappiness

Let’s say you are angry with yourself because you failed to reach your goals. You immediately conclude you are inadequate and flawed. It can leave you a feeling of unhappiness and dissatisfaction. Kendra Cherry states that fear of failure is a sign of low self-esteem.

5. Negative self-talk and too critical

Perfectionists have the habit of finding faults in their achievements— no matter how small that is. You loathe yourself because you are not good enough. Therefore, your mind ends up being clouded with negative thoughts. You are also too critical of other people. Like I said, perfectionists highly expect their peers to be of “high standard” and “perfect”. This may push (or intimidate) people away. Unfortunately, it can lead to loneliness.

Overcoming Perfectionism: What Can You Do?

1. Accept the realities of life

Let’s do a reality check—you have to acknowledge that everyone, including you, makes mistakes in life. We fail in life— tests, interviews, work, assignments, and etc. At the end of the day, they push us to do better and improve ourselves.  Just like everyone else, you have flaws. Don’t expect people to be exactly like you. Every individual is different. 2

2. Take on the challenge

Risk-taking is hard, as we do not know what is beyond the abyss of the unknown. If you are eyeing an activity that you’ve always wanted to try, go on ahead… don’t be afraid of failure and mistakes. Let go, and experience the “challenge” in all its glory.

3. Be open to learning

We have to reskill to cater to the demands of the 21st century. Skills are also a plus point in the workforce. When you are learning, always remember that everyone starts out as a noob or a newbie.

4. Set realistic goals and standards

Be grounded in reality! It’s fine to have high standards, but they have to be realistic. Use your standards as a guide or a framework, rather as an absolute ideal.  Also, make your goals feasible (Remember SMART?). Again, don’t let failure bring you down. Failure does not mean that you are garbage, and it does not define who you are. As said by Oscar the Grouch, “just because you’re trash doesn’t mean you can’t do great things. It is called garbage can, not garbage cannot.”

Don’t forget to reward yourself if you achieved something big or small. Bring nothing but good vibes ☺

5. Learn to trust and delegate tasks

This is a leap of fate you must take. If you are overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to ask your colleague for assistance. You have to learn to understand and work with your peers. Bear in mind that you can’t do everything by yourself all the time. 

After reading about perfectionism, I realized that I need to work on myself. I’d say that it was an eye-opening experience. Perfectionism is embedded in my psyche, and it will be a challenge to completely get rid of it. I hope this article has made you reflect on yourself.

How about you? Do you consider yourself as a perfectionist?

xoxo, Chelsey

More Nerdify reviews to come, stay tuned!

Unfortunately, as the Nerdify reviews team could confirm, there are many usual eyesight care rules that come as a surprise to most people when the talk goes about the daily habits that affect a person’s eyesight. In addition to staring at the phone for hours on end, there are many factors like hygiene safety that are often neglected. As we live in the age of technology where portable devices, social media, and television do make up most of our free time, there are still crucial things to watch out for. Luckily, even following these simple 7 rules can make a major difference to your life, habits, and the eyesight!

Wearing Sunglasses. On the contrary to what most people may believe, wearing sunglasses is not for being cool, but for protecting the retina. It is important not to ignore the UV effect on eyesight, especially when you are driving and the flashes of light are always changing one another. Even if you wear contacts, do not forget to wear your sunglasses for that extra protection layer. It is one of the most important factors that can prevent serious eye damage. Do not go for the cheap shades, if possible, but consult with a healthcare specialist about suitable lens.

Expired or Cheap Makeup. While it is not widely discussed, recent research shows that expired makeup can easily pose serious damage to the eyesight. A reason for that is that expired chemicals contained in mascara or eyeliner become dangerous for the sensitive components of an eye and the surrounding area. It is a great place for the bacteria to overcome the barrier, which is especially relevant in winter or the times when a person undergoes high amounts of stress and anxiety. A general rule is to throw away any eye makeup element that goes beyond the three month period to avoid the risks.

Eye Hygiene Habits. In most Nerdify reviews that we do, our authors always stress the importance of keeping eyes safe from irritation or infection, especially during the long hours of studying or browsing through photocopied lecture notes. Rubbing your tiresome eyes or even stretching the corners to get rid of itching with the dirty hands can easily bring infection to your eye and cause temporary damage. The golden rule is to keep your hands clean and to blink several times to let the dry eye be washed with the tears. It may not work right away, yet it is a much safer way to keep your eyes safe.

Smartphone and TV. This is probably the most difficult part for all of us who cannot imagine a day without staring at the smartphone or spending at least an hour watching a favorite TV show. It is reading through the tiny text of the small screens that decreases the frequency of blinking that is a problem. As a result, our eyes feel dry. Another problem is that spending hours with our beloved smart devices, we forgot to drink enough and take breaks for high-fiber foods. It is also believed that spending a lot of time sitting at the computer screen causes headaches and anxiety. The only solution that really works is taking breaks and drinking at least a cup of orange juice or eating an apple to let the eyes readjust.

Wear Your Contacts Right. If you are the one wearing contacts, remember about the hygiene and safety rules. For example, avoid sleeping in contacts as it does not let your eyes get hydrated in a normal way during sleep. Likewise, avoid wearing contacts in the pool or public shower because it increases infection risks. As the Nerdify reviews team has confirmed with the ophthalmologists, there is no need to wear one-day contacts for the entire week because it damages the retina.

Smoking and Alcohol. It should be obvious, but most people these days do not really connect these bad habits with degrading eyesight. In fact, diseases like macular degeneration are linked to excessive smoking. The reason for that is that smoking damages eye muscles, making them weaker, thus resulting in a vision that is less sharp and focused. The smokers and those that consume alcohol are more prone to eye diseases because of a weaker immune system.

General Safety Goggles. We have intentionally put this part at the end because it is a known fact that information at the end of the article will be remembered. An important rule for keeping the eyes safe is wearing safety goggles when working with anything that can splash with liquids, pull back at an unexpected moment or flash with a strong light beam. No matter what kind of work you might do, it is much better to be safe and keep the safety goggles always at hand!

Be healthy,

Nerdify Reviews Team