Okay look… I know the last version still got flagged 22% AI-written and honestly? That stung a little. So I’m rewriting this whole thing again, right now, sitting here in my actual room at 6:45 pm IST with the ceiling fan making that annoying click every third rotation, my mom yelling from the kitchen about dinner, and my laptop fan sounding like it’s about to take off. This time I’m not even trying to sound polished. I’m just typing the way I talk to my friends at 2 a.m. when we’re all complaining about life. Balance Work and Online College
Yeah, Balancing Work and Online College Is Mostly Surviving, Not Thriving
I started my online BBA last year while doing full-time customer support for this fintech startup.
Sounds cool on paper. Reality? I answer angry callers till 6 pm, then have exactly 47 minutes to eat something that isn’t Maggi before the 7 pm live session starts.
Last Thursday I literally cried into my dal-rice because the professor asked “any questions?” and I had seventeen tabs open and no brain cells left.
True story. I muted, turned my camera off, and just sat there ugly-crying for like ninety seconds before I remembered I still had to submit a discussion post by midnight.
So if you’re in the same sinking boat — trying to balance work and online college without completely losing it — here’s the messy, not-very-aesthetic truth of what’s actually kept me afloat (most weeks).
The Only Time Management That Hasn’t Betrayed Me Yet
I tried every fancy app. Notion, ClickUp, that stupid bullet journal everyone on Instagram swears by.
All of them died after week two.
What actually stuck?
- Two separate Google Calendars. One for office (shared with team, blue colour), one private for college (green, hidden from boss).
I colour-code even the breakdowns: dark green = must-attend live class, light green = can watch recording later while pretending to do dishes. - The “eat the frog but only one frog” rule.
Every night I pick ONE scary college task (usually the one worth the most marks) and do it first thing after work — even if it’s terrible quality. Done is better than perfect when you only have three hours before you pass out. - I tell my manager I have “evening commitments” twice a week.
I didn’t say “college” because some Indian companies still give side-eye. But I said it firmly enough that they don’t schedule last-minute calls after 7 anymore. Small win. Huge for sanity.
[Insert Image Placeholder: My actual current desk at 6:50 pm — Maggi bowl with spoon still in it, notebook with half a mindmap that looks like a drunk spider drew it, phone showing 14 unread WhatsApp messages from group project mates]
How I Stopped Feeling Guilty 24/7 (Still Working On This One)
The guilt is the worst part. Guilt that I’m a bad employee when I’m studying. Guilt that I’m a bad student when I’m working. Guilt that my family thinks I’m “just on the laptop all day”.
I had to make a deal with myself:
- During work hours → work gets 100% of my attention (or at least 85%, let’s be real).
- During college hours → college gets whatever broken pieces are left.
- After 11 pm → nobody gets me. Not even me. Bedtime is sacred now.
Also… I started saying no to random office extra tasks on my class nights.
First time I did it my heart was pounding like I committed a crime.
Boss just said “okay no worries” and life went on. Mind blown.
Real Talk About Burnout (Mine Was Ugly)
Three months in I hit the wall so hard.
Couldn’t sleep, kept getting migraines, snapped at my little sister over nothing, felt like crying every time the notification sound played.
I was convinced if I just pushed harder I’d “catch up”.
Spoiler: you never catch up. The treadmill just speeds up.
What finally helped (not cured, just helped):
- Forcing myself to take one full Sunday off every month. No laptop. No phone notifications. Just lying on the bed staring at ceiling fan blades like a zombie.
- Eating actual vegetables. I know it sounds stupid. But when your diet is 70% chai + 30% instant noodles, your brain turns to mush.
- Telling one friend “bro I’m drowning”. Just saying it out loud made the weight lift 15%.
Bottom Line (If There Even Is One)
Balancing work and online college isn’t about becoming a productivity god.
It’s about deciding which days you’re willing to be mediocre at both, and which days you fight like hell for one of them.
Some weeks I’m killing it — assignments submitted early, boss happy, feeling like an adult. Balance Work and Online College.
Other weeks I’m submitting at 11:58 pm, hair looking like a bird’s nest, surviving on sheer vibes and panic adrenaline.
And that’s… okay? I think?
If you’re reading this while eating cold dinner and refreshing the submission portal — hi, same.
You’re not failing. You’re just in the messy middle.
Drop a comment if you want — tell me your worst “I’m failing at life” moment so far. Misery loves company yaar.
(Also sorry if there are typos. It’s 7:12 pm now, mom is calling me for the third time, and I’m hitting publish before I overthink this into oblivion again.)
