How much else should grad students typically take on during school?

[bookhousegirl]

I'm entering an MA program for which I have a TAship that requires me to work 9 hours per week. It's a pretty sweet deal, and I'm only on campus for class and to TA two days per week. I have a part-time job at a non-profit because I probably couldn't pay my rent without it. They're really flexible and I have a lot of down time there to work on stuff.

 

I am also considering taking on an (unpaid) internship for ~10hrs a week at a reputable company in a field I would love to work in. However, I'm a little worried about overworking myself. 

 

I'd essentially be working ~45 hours per week NOT including the time I spend in class and doing course work. Is this insane? Should I say no to an internship until I'm more financially stable/have more time?

 

I don't really know what my coursework will be like, and I've always managed my time pretty effectively, but I don't want to burn out in my first semester. Does anyone else have experience/advice on how much they take on while in school?

[rising_star]

I wouldn't take on more in my first semester, though I might (and actually did) in subsequent semesters.

[emhafe]

I'm going to second that. I'm basically in the same position as you are (first semester MA, GA position, part time job). I figure I'll see how this semester goes while I'm still getting used to the swing of things and, if I feel like I'm twiddling my thumbs or have time to volunteer, I'll pick it up in the second semester since now, more so than ever, my job is to be a student.

[music]

Can you push the internship back to next summer? That kind of thing is what summers are made for. You've done well to find work that is either relevant to your discipline or allows you to study on the job. However, working full-time hours on top of grad school would likely detract from your ability to get the most out of your program. It's not much different to working two full-time jobs, and surely you wouldn't try to do that without expecting some negative consequences for your stress levels, physical health, sleep quantity/quality, and work quality. Start with the minimum additional workload necessary (ie to pay rent and progress in your program) - you can always add more later.

[dr. t]

In my experience, you can actually manage about a quarter of what you think you can.

[juilletmercredi]

^Going to co-sign all of the above. Take it easy in your first semester - your first year, even. I agree with seeing if you can do the internship in the summer or maybe during your second year.