Stressed Out With Casual Assistant Job

[law92]

Hi everyone I'm just wondering if someone can please give me some advice as I'm not sure what to do.

So, I started working for a centre in November last year with the intention of studying my diploma and working whenever the centre needed me to. However, now my intentions have changed and I'm starting back at uni at the end of February to finish my 3 year early childhood teaching degree. So, I communicated to the director that this is what I've decided to do instead, which she seemed fine about, and I explained that I could only work 2 days per week and that I would not be able to work any more than this at all. Now, the centre keeps ringing me up nearly every day to work which I find really stressful, and it's gotten to the point where I just don't answer the phone anymore because I can't deal with it. And now I feel like the director is getting annoyed with me because she expects all the casual staff to be on call all the time.
And I'm also just getting really worried about getting behind in my uni work when I start back next month. When I first started my degree I was working in a before and after school care job and I found that I fell behind in my uni work then and had to repeat a few subjects that I failed. And since then I have not been working at all and it takes me all my time to get through the course work and get my assignments handed in on time. So, I'm not sure how I'm going to go working 16 hours per week and studying at uni full time. I know some people work and study at the same time but I'm just not one of those people I just get too stressed out. And I just don't want to get behind in my degree again as I can't afford to fail any more subjects because it keeps pushing my graduation date further back.

So I'm just trying to figure out if I should just quit this job and focus on my uni, or try to persevere with the job and balance studying at the same time. This job just takes up quite a bit of time (long hours), and there's always extra functions to attend such as staff meetings, parties and parents nights, and the director emails everyone at least several times every day, including on the weekends, all of which is stressing me out. So yeah I'm just not sure if the job is worth it or not? It's not really adding anything to my skills set as its only an assistant job, and I don't need the money.

I just don't know what to do. I've explained to the director several times about my availability but she just doesn't seem to want to take it on board. If I don't have recent working experience would I still get a job as a group leader/teacher when I graduate?

[Lorina]

So it seems like the director isn't really being to supportive about your intentions of only working 2 days per week and you already sound so stressed about it when uni hasn't even started as yet. In my opinion you can just focus on uni for now - if you don't really need the money then just focus on finishing your degree then get back into it.

In regards to experience, yes if you have recent working experience then it's ideal but this will all come in time. Start uni for a few months get yourself in a routine and then when you're able to manage it you can slowly get back to work maybe starting 1 day per week then increasing it.... You would rather focus on getting your degree then stressing over a casual position.

If you end your current employment do so in good terms so in the future you can go back to being a casual at the centre when you're ready to begin again...

,
Lorina

[Lorina]

Also could it be that since it's only January alot of the staff are still on holidays that's why you getting called everyday...

,
Lorina