Keeping a balance

I find myself having to balance my life at home with my education.

When I am at school, I am in a totally different atmosphere and my responsibilities drastically change. My responsibilities at UIC are to come to school every day, do the work required and maintain good grades. My responsibilities at home require me to help with my nieces and nephews, which is the most enjoyable thing to do for me. I have five nieces and three nephews and they are a task to handle all at once, which is usually my situation. My two sisters work different schedules — but from 7 to 10 in the evening I have to watch them.

If I don’t have a balance, then my duties would collide. That would put me in the position of having to do schoolwork while watching eight children. We both know that little will get done so I don’t think of doing that. Instead I get up earlier in the morning and go to the library. I like having my classes in the morning so that I have time in the afternoon to complete my work. I also come to the library on weekends to give myself more time to study.

I have learned that I have to make adjustments to balance school and home. Things come up unexpectedly and we can’t stop that. Sometimes we get sick or experience death in the family and you have to miss a day of school. I feel more comfortable knowing that I am up on the readings or my paper is written.

I’m learning that when my things are balanced, I have smoother outcomes. I don’t like the feeling of being overwhelmed so there is a certain time slot in every day for my schoolwork and when I leave school, I go and fulfill my responsibilities at home. It’s like the work never stops.

Matthew Maggit is a sophomore in accounting in the College of Business Administration. Matthew decided to come to UIC because of the business program’s reputation and because  he wanted to study at a campus with a diverse atmosphere. He likes how close the campus is downtown Chicago and the Willis Tower. In his free time, he loves to surround myself with loved ones, and he enjoys sports and going to the gym.