(Final in a series on students who juggle work and school.)

TCC students working part-time jobs do not always have an easier time than those working full time.

Susanna Hanks, NE Campus student, returned to school this semester after being out for two years.

She waits tables at California Pizza Kitchen in Grapevine, which she said allows her more time to study because she does not work full eight-hour shifts.

Hanks works 25-35 hours per week, and she is taking five credit hours. She hopes she can handle more school hours in the future but has started with just a small load for now.

Just like full-time employees, part-time workers experience burnout, too.

Not working as much allows for more school hours, but that leads to more studying to keep grades up.

Ryanne Farris, NW Campus student, works at Walgreen's 30 hours per week and takes nine credit hours. She said it is hardest at the end of the semester because of finals and being ready for the semester to end.

Gary Franklin, student on NW Campus, has found that attending every other semester has worked best for him.

"I know it will take me forever to finish my degree, but right now I cannot afford to go full time, and my wife and I together make too much money for me to qualify for financial aid, so I'm just taking my time," he said.

Franklin attended South Campus four years ago before he married, but family illness caused him to drop out.

"I was intending to get a journalism degree, but I couldn't handle the stress when my mother had a stroke. I had to quit school and decided I would just work at doing anything until I could go back to school," he said.

Franklin is married, and his wife, who was his high school sweetheart, had already earned a paralegal certificate, so she was making enough money for him to return to school.

"The only problem I have is committing myself to school. It would be really easy just to drop out, but my wife really would be disappointed in me. I do not want to work at Blockbuster the rest of my life, and she wants more for me, too," he said.

Danny Granados, NW Campus student, feels the burnout most around Christmas because he tries to work more hours to have the money to buy gifts for family and friends.

"It's not really hard; it's okay. Sometimes I do lose sleep," Granados said.

Finding time to study for all the classes a student has can be hard. It can lead to late nights, early mornings or even a never-ending night to day.

Granados works 30 hours per week at Perotti's Pizza in Fort Worth, and he takes 13 credit hours. With his schedule, it is hard to find time to study, so he studies anytime he can.

Finding a job that can be flexible enough to work around a student's school schedule is a necessity for most students.

Kemberly McLaughlin, human resource manager at Viking Office Products, said students seeking part-time employment should apply at places that are flexible such as call centers, restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores.

Most employers that work with students are flexible to their schedules, but sometimes there just is not enough time to do it all.

Farris' advice to students who work is not to take more classes than they can handle.

Granados could not work full time and carry the class load he has now.

"I think it is possible for some people, but I don't think I can," he said.

Since most TCC students are also employees, it is important they understand that they have to find their own balance that works for them. It will not always be easy, but it can be done, Granados said.

"Anything can be accomplished; you've just got to try," he said.