Ah yes, Hannah Montana knew what she was talking about. Except in our case, “the best of both worlds” looks like trying to write a 2000-word essay while flipping pancakes at your part-time job. Welcome to student life in the Netherlands—where you can study and work, and maybe even afford something other than plain pasta.

This blog isn’t about how to get a student job (we’ve got another post for that—go find it, it’s somewhere on the site). This one is about how I personally survived working 2 to 3 jobs at once during my studies over the last three years without collapsing into a heap of stress and instant noodles.

1. University Jobs Are Gold

If you can, get a job within your university. These are usually super flexible, student-friendly, and the people actually understand that “exam season” means crying in the library at 1 a.m. I started in my first year, and honestly? Best. Move. Ever. I work as a social media coordinator for mymaastricht currently but also worked as a student ambassador for my faculty.

2. Live by the Calendar

Your calendar isn’t just a planning tool—it’s your new best friend. Got a job that works with shift schedules? Put those in first. Then build your study schedule around them. Trust me, this one move alone can save you from future chaos and forgetting deadlines.

3. Work Smarter, Not Harder

Try to schedule your shifts during weekends or evenings. That way, you can focus on studying when your brain is actually working. Flexible job? Even better—you decide when to work. Take advantage of that.

4. Be Strategic with Your Time (Yes, That Might Mean Skipping Class)

Hot take: in my opinion, it’s okay to skip some lectures. If you know you’ll understand the material faster on your own, especially with the recording and some snacks, do that. Just don’t make a habit of ghosting every class.

5. Group Similar Tasks Together

Multitasking isn’t as productive as it sounds. Instead, batch your tasks—do all your studying in one chunk, then switch to work stuff. Jumping between a paper, dishes, and emails is a one-way ticket to burnout (and forgetting where you put your laptop).

6. Know Your Productive Hours 

Figure out when your brain actually works best. Are you a morning person? Great—do your hard stuff early. More of a night owl? Save your creative or focused work for later and stick to simple tasks when your energy is dipping. Work with your brain, not against it.

In short: Balancing work and studies doesn’t require magic—just a bit of planning, self-awareness, and the occasional skipped lecture. So go ahead, live your own Hannah Montana fantasy. Just maybe swap the glitter microphone for a Google Calendar.

You really can have the best of both worlds. Just… maybe with less singing.