Adults in college, some help?

[mudnuri]

I'm on vacation this coming week then back to work for 1 week, then on Sept 7th I start school. I am a bit worried that I'll be able to handle this.

Can you just tell me how you did it. How did you juggle kids, home, school? I have the girls 55% of the time, and set up my night class on the night I do not have them.....all of my classes allow me to be home when they get home from school.

How did you deal with the smaller income while you were in school? I have taken out stafford loan for living expenses and did receive almost 5K in grants to help with tuition and books.

How did your kids deal with you studying, stressing etc..??

I'm getting nervous

Brandy

 

[ADisneygirl]

I got married right out of HS and much to my parents dismay, I skipped the college path in favor of being a wife/mother/homemaker. Seeing that he might have made a financial mistake taking this path, my husband went to school at night while I raised the kids, took care of the house, etc. He did very well and managed to get his doctorate over the course of 12 years. I was very happy with my life until things beyond my control changed my situation. Right before this happened, I had started back to college myself, taking one class a semester. Afterwards, I was lost and unsure of the right path. But I chose to dive into school and take a full courseload. This while raising a 6 year old and a 2 year old alone. I got the govt. financial grants and applied for every obscure one I could find. I also took out the max in student loans which helped to pay my mortgage monthly.

I can't say that times were easy, but I can say that I do not regret going to school later in life. I studied while I sat at the park with the kids, during my daughter's ice skating lessons, and when they napped/played. I basically did little else but study and take care of them. My class schedule was carefully plotted out so that I was away from home the least. I went full time, but was only on campus 2 days a week. These days were packed solid with classes, and I took several online at home whenever possible. I paid a neighbor to watch the kids one day and their grandparents (inlaws) watched them the other day. (they were hard pressed to even do this, so only one day was possible to ask of them) There were things that got pushed to the side that used to matter to me, like lunches with friends, shopping trips, gardening and my soaps. My advice to you is to just stop thinking about why it might not work and just plunge in and do it. Believe me, I was not a strong minded person, and God knows I was in the depths of depression during this time, but I still managed to do it. I tell anyone, if I could do it, then certainly anyone can.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Marseeya]

I'm on vacation this coming week then back to work for 1 week, then on Sept 7th I start school. I am a bit worried that I'll be able to handle this.

Can you just tell me how you did it. How did you juggle kids, home, school? I have the girls 55% of the time, and set up my night class on the night I do not have them.....all of my classes allow me to be home when they get home from school.

How did you deal with the smaller income while you were in school? I have taken out stafford loan for living expenses and did receive almost 5K in grants to help with tuition and books.

How did your kids deal with you studying, stressing etc..??

I'm getting nervous

Brandy

You'll be fine! The hardest part is the adjustment period.

When I first went back to college, I had a 5 yo and a 3 month old and was still breastfeeding the 3 month old. Talk about a challenge -- my school is 20 miles away from home! I had frozen breast milk in preparation, but it turned out that she absolutely would not take a bottle at. all. So I had to work my schedule around her, feeding her right before I left for school and then scheduling my classes right in a row and running straight home to feed her. My mom had just retired, so she watched her for me and she would feed her some breast milk right off a baby spoon to tide her over until I got home.

That was in 1996 and I'm still in college after all these years! Graduate school now. My kids don't remember a time when I had a job and only know me as a student

Anyway, financially, it probably wasn't the smartest way to go about it, but I took out the maximum amount I could in loans and that really helped us get through. Some years I paid bills out of the money and some we'd buy household items that we couldn't afford otherwise.

When I studied, I just did it with the kids in the room. I'd lay my books all around me and just go to work. I had to divide my attention between them and the books, but that's just something I had to get used to. Personally, I'm not one who needs to spend hours in the books anyway -- if I take good notes in class, read over the material, I'm good to go. When writing papers, I'd just start jotting down ideas in a notebook wherever I happened to be and then sat down at the computer to write it for real after I had a vague outline of what I wanted to write. It probably takes me 15-20 minutes per page of a paper. I majored in English, so I didn't actually have a lot of busy work to do for my classes -- it was all reading and writing papers.

What will you be majoring in?

As for the house, well, let's just say we had to lower our standards a good bit. Dishes didn't always get done, toys didn't always get picked up, etc. But that worked for us. My priority has always been education first, for the kids and me. If nothing else gets done but school work, then so be it.

So anyway, try not to stress too much and take the time to enjoy this opportunity! I found that college was soooo much easier for me as an adult than it was when I was 18.

 

[eeyore kelly]

I have no advice, because I start school Monday. I am nervous and worried too. I just wanted to let you know someone else is walking that path with you.

 

[Snow White]

You can do it! The worst part for me was worrying that I'd be the oldest person in there, but I soon found out that especially evening classes are full of people of all ages. I work 40 hrs a week and take 12 hrs per semester, and have 3 kids, am their wrestling booster club president, and attend EVERY thing they do (priority). I study late at night, and a lot on the weekends. I will have to switch jobs after this year to find a night job since I'm about out of classes I can take in the evenings tho. Good luck, it's actually a lot of fun!

 

[mic&min]

I just graduated in May 2006 with an Accounting Degree. I was very lucky that my fiance was around because he helped alot. I went to a weekend college program which worked very well for me. I was in school every other weekend so that gave me alot of time to work on homework. When I had my accounting classes I was in school every weekend so then I was constantly doing homework.

I would do homework at my lunch hour or any other time I could squeeze it in. I agree with the other posters that it is hard at first but you will adjust and you will not regret doing it.

Good Luck!!!

 

[floridaminnie]

I did it as a single mother. I went back to college so I could become a teacher. I was working at a bank and went from full time to part time and was able to keep my benefits and they paid for a portion of my schooling. I have a wonderful mother that helped me out. I just took it one day at a time.

 

[Dcat2u]

I went back to school part-time last year. It's hard, I work fulltime, I have to make sure my classes don't interfere with my 2 DD's dance company classes and competition. I can't always depend on DH to get them there cause he is getting ready for deployment again. Unfortunatly my work doesn't support me either, and I am going to school in my career field. My goal at this point is to graduate before my DD's do - LOL! Just do what you can and good luck!

 

[crz4mm2]

I started college when DD was not quite 1 yo old. It was tough, but I did it. I treated college just like a job. DD went to day care while I went to school. I studied at night.
When I went to midwifery school years later, I treated that as my job. I had to borrow money to pay bills while in school. But as a good friend always reminded me, that was an investment in my future. I studied ALOT. But, one of my son's teachers (he is my oldest) told me it was good to have his role model studying all the time I hope it was a compliment!

You can do it. It is a hard row to hoe, but worth it.

Best of luck to you.
Cathy

 

[Beth76]

I don't have any advice, just wanted to say good luck!!!!

 

[CourtasanSatine]

No advice since at soon to be 25 I start tech school the 29th, orientation is this coming Friday

 

[swilphil]

I'm taking classes this semester, too, but for the most part they are online. I have to meet in person two weekends. I took a class this summer that also was online with one weekend meeting. It worked out much better than I thought. I do much of my studying/assignments in the morning or when the kids go to bed. My husband is very good about entertaining the kids so I can get my work done.

It's still hard. Yesterday I was trying to read in another room while my kids were playing/watching a video. That lasted about 5 minutes before the kids came in and wanted to play with me. I found that I just can't wait until the last minute to get things done like I tended to do before I had kids.

One way I am saving a little money is buying checking out books I need from the library. If your library doesn't have them, they often can get them from another library through Interlibrary Loan. Sometimes that process takes a few weeks, so inquire early. (Can you tell I'm getting my degree in Library Science?)

 

[Boston Tea Party]

My husband and parents were a huge help.

 

[wednesday]

I am a 29 year old in college but with no kids, and a husband who is working his behind off so that I can devote all my time to my studies. I am also getting a stafford loan which means I have to deal with the hateful ladies in my schools financial aid office (what a royal pain). I am beginning to think I lost my marbles having decided to go into engineering but feel the sacrifices are worth it. Just wanted to say good luck! It is tough but I think it will be very rewarding in the end

 

[Boston Tea Party]

My husband and parents were a huge help.

 

[llij]

I went back for my graduate degree two years ago with a preschooler and a first grader at home. Thankfully, I'm not working at the moment so I would cram in the study time whenever I could. My DH is very supportive of my going back to school and the girls have been very understanding as well. When I first went back it was a little bit of a shock to be studying after 13 years of not studying, but I've loved every minute of it. I'm still not done with the program and now that I am having a baby, it is going to take me a little bit longer than I thought to finish, but I'm getting close! My professors have been great and I still plan on finishing up! It will be challenging though.

Good luck to you and I wish you all the best. It is a very exciting time!

 

[MrsG]

I had a 9yr olf and a 5 yr old when I started college. My husband worked but the only way I could pay for school was with loans (which I am still paying off). I took my books everywhere with me, baseball games, family visits, doctors, etc. and learned to grab time whenever I could, even if it was only 10 mins.

Was it easy, no way. Was it hard, yes, but worth every minute of it. I got my undergrad in '93 and my master's in '96. And I feel empowered now. I've been teaching for 12 years and begin a new job in 1 week teaching in the high school which is where I've always wanted to be. Financially we went through tough times and I felt helpless because I had no training to get a decent job. If I had to pay someone to be with the kids, it would be more than I was able to make back then. Today, unfortunately my husband who supported us all those years is out of work and although it is hard financially, I at least can support us temporarily, something I could never do.

The most rewarding thing was when my daughter, then 9, turned to me and said, "Mommy I'm so proud of you for going back to school." I thought of that every time I was down.
Today, she has a masters degree, is 25, engaged and a teacher herself. My son is 21 and finishing his undergrad in May and starting his master's in June. They're doing it the easy way. So you see, children learn more by watching us than we think.
Good luck!

 

[totalia]

I didn't have kids but I was an adult when I was in college. I don't know how to tell you how I did it. You just do. Alot of times, you end up exhausted and don't want to go. But it is the best thing for you. You will find a way to juggle all of it because you have to. Just remember that the long term benefits of going to college far outway any temporary discomfort.

 

[nuke]

I started college when my son was 6 months old. My husband and I worked it out so that my classes were in the mornings and he didn't start work until 3pm. I also tried to schedule my classes on two or three days a week only. It's hard but you will figure out a study and classwork system for yourself after a little while. Good Luck!!

 

[stacie_d]

You may not realize it initially, but you will probably have quite a few advantages.

Being a parent, you have undoubtedly mastered the much needed skill of multi-tasking. You will also probably be taking your education must more serious than some of the other students. (Speaking from experience...was a typical "college kid"...then DH and I both went back to school after taking 3 years off, and having a baby...just enough to make us "non-traditional")

Treat it like a job and you will do fine. A good friend of mine through law school was a mother of two (oldest was a freshman in college!), went to school full time, worked a job, and drove an hour and an half to and from school each day. What did she have?--ambition! That is ALL you will need too!