School/work balance advice needed!

[Jess_]

Hi everyone,

I've never posted on here before but I've been reading and researching on various sites to gather some much needed advice and figured I should post something and see what I get from other students, nurses and healthcare professionals. I apologize in advance for the novel I am about to write, but just stick with me I need some help

I am soon to be starting a nursing program (lpn to rn) in the spring of 2017 and am super excited (along with about 50 other emotions) to begin. This will be a career change for me, I'm currently in customer service, but I do have a background in healthcare. I am however very scared that I am not going to be able to pursue my dreams and goals due to financial difficulties.

I am a single 23yr old female who lives on my own. I am the sole provider for myself, I have no one else financially to help lighten the load. I currently work full time making enough money to cover rent, my basic bills, groceries and gas in my car and occasionally a little extra that goes straight to my savings.

My fear is that once I start nursing school I will not be able to create a work/ school balance and in the end I won't be able to pursue school for a better future for myself and will be stuck working a dead end job and not a career. I can't afford to not work full time because I have bills to pay and I solely depend on myself for income. I have applied for loans, grants and scholarships however a vast majority of my financial assistance will be from loans that unfortunately are based off of my fathers income until I am 25. My father is the sole provider for my very large family. As much as he wishes he could help me financially he is unable to because he has other very young kids, a house and bills of his own.

My questions for others out there are...

1. Are you in a similar situation currently? And if so, how/ what are you doing to get by?

2. Do you have any helpful advice on creating a work/school balance?

3. What jobs do you recommend I apply for that could help me make ends meet but be flexiable enough for me to continue school?

4. Do you know of any assistance programs, scholarships, grants or anything myself and others in a similar situation could potentially benefit from?

Really any advice, ideas or feedback would be wonderful. I am trying to get as many ducks in a row before I start so I can make the transition just even a tiny bit less stressful. I've read many great and some not so great feedback (nonetheless all still helpful in some way I suppose) so anything helps.

Thank you you for your time and feedback! 🤗

[emily34812]

If you are already an LPN, finding a per diem LPN job would definitely help

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

I was in your situation long ago. What I did was work at a hospital eves and nights. Drank a lot of coffee lol. I would just head to class after work and study there (no distractions) and sleep when I could. I worked as many doubles as possible Thursday through Sunday. I think I got one Pell grant. When all you do is work, go to class, study, sleep, and eat lean cuisine and microwave popcorn it is pretty inexpensive.