Work & School all at once!!

[zannie]

I'm sure this has been covered before, but................

Does anyone school and work? How does it work out? How much study time do you get? How much time at home (studying or not studying, either or)?

I just registered for my classes for my first semester at SU's BSN program..........

School's an hour away, I'll be schooling 5 days/week, the classes are all spread out so I will be spending a lot of time at school (why drive the hour home just to go back) or at my parents house (they live about 3 miles away from the school).

I'm happy and sad about that. I love being at home, so it's gonna be a change spending all that time away from home (some 2 days I have a class that starts at 9am and a class that ends at 9pm). But I'm happy about it too because I know if I were at home, I'd get less studying done b/c there are so many other things to do.

I also work at the local hospital (local to home, not school). 8 hour shifts, evening shifts a few days/week (ever monday, every other friday and every other weekend).

I'm scared that I won't have time for it all. My chemistry books are intimidating me. How do you guys cope. HELP!

Love,

Zannie

[wanna B an RN]

I wont lie, it's very hard. I work full time and attend school half time. I wish I could go full time, but it's impossible for me. I have 4 kids and a husband at home I have to attend to. Quite honestly, I cope because my husband helps me out A LOT, and my work is very understanding and sympathetic to my needs. Do you have any children?

[delirium]

Zannie:

First, congratulations on your acceptance into the program.

Many people will tell you that it is flat out impossible to work and go to school at the same time, and if you can do it and do it well, its because your program is too easy. Not true. I have been attending school for over a year, carrying an average of 11 credits per semester, and I work 32 hours per week.

This is not always easy. I am fortunate to be able to retain information well and not have to spend as many hours studying as others do. I also have a flexible job in a hospital, where I can vary between working 7a-3p or 3p-11p, based on my school schedule. The evening shifts give me an opportunity to study a little at work, so I can relax a little more at home. Last semester I had a little studying glitch that was difficult, I had A&P II lab in the afternoon, so I worked until 11 pm after lab was over. Then I had to be in very very early (ok, to me 8 am is very very early) the next morning for my psych class. It worked out alright, but I was always tired for the first hour or so of class.

You'll have to give up some things in order to work and be educated. Like my standard of housekeeping was the first thing to go. Now I'm happy if the dog is fed and the bed is made, where before I would mop the floor every day. I also don't have any children, which helps. Women often feel like they have to do everything: you don't. Working and going to school and being there for your family is enough. That's a lot. That's my philosophy. When I'm in school, I generally don't cook very often, I'll do laundry on the weekend, or whenever I have a day off. Just do what you have time to do and make sure you keep some time to yourself that has nothing to do with nursing.

You'll be fine. Its perfectly doable to work and go to school. It just takes dedication and a little caffeine. Just because I work doesn't mean I don't maintain a great scholastic record, I'm on the dean's list and have a 4.0 GPA.

God bless,

Rebecca:rolleyes: