Working students often face time constraints, academic pressure, and personal responsibilities while striving to achieve their educational goals. This study explored the lived experiences of off-campus working students who balance academic responsibilities with employment. This qualitative study employed a phenomenological research design to capture the participants’ lived experiences. A purposive sample of ten (10) off-campus working students from a selected higher educational institution in the Philippines participated in in-depth interviews. The collected data were analyzed using the Colaizzi method. The findings revealed three major themes: Bearing the Weight of a Divided Life, which reflects the struggles of managing academic, work, and personal responsibilities; Working Out of Necessity and Hope, which highlights financial needs and aspirations as primary motivations for employment; and Becoming Through Hardship, which describes the development of resilience, discipline, and personal growth shaped by challenging experiences. The results show that participants experienced stress, exhaustion, and academic pressure while balancing dual roles, yet these challenges also contributed to their growth and strengthened sense of responsibility. Therefore, the life experiences of off-campus working students demonstrate that balancing work and academic responsibilities, despite significant difficulties, fosters resilience and meaningful personal development. It is recommended that higher education institutions implement supportive programs, flexible academic arrangements, and accessible student services to better assist working students in managing their dual roles effectively.
coping strategies, lived experiences, off-campus working students, student resilience, time management, work–study balance.
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