[JarOfPennies]

For the most part, I love it. I love what I am learning. I love the challenge. I love my classmates and instructors. What is overwhelming is the amount of material we are given and the short of amount of time to learn it. I'm a really "in depth" kind of person, so I never feel like I can really take my time to learn something as much as I would like to. I also dislike how exhausted I get and the amount of family time I have to give up to study. I was really coming to resent the amount of time I had to spend at the library last semester. It seems like at the end of every semester, I have an exhilarating feeling because I MADE IT THROUGH ANOTHER ONE, but I'm so exhausted, I go home and sleep for 2-3 days!!

I have 3 kids at home and a husband. No job, thankfully. I also waited a long time to be able to do this. It's not easy. The best advice I can give is to stay on top of everything. Keep up with the readings, find good study partners, and give yourself one night each week where you set aside the books and focus on family. My "nights off" are Fridays. You may also have to give up your standards as far as housekeeping and cooking go. I've made peace with the fact that our home may go to pot and ordering pizza once a week is not going to kill anyone!

Good luck. I'm sure you'll do great!

[lemonlimeEMT]

Honestly, right now I am kind of hating it. I think, though, it is more of that end-of-the-semester burn out. I really do love most of my instructors, and I have made a lot of great friends. For the most part, clinicals have been good. I just love how at the end of the semester is when we have those weeks were two papers are due, three tests, clinicals, and finals right around the corner.