Because yesterday, I was in dire straights!
Last week, I mentioned that I’m taking a graduate course this semester. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but yesterday I was seriously second-guessing myself.
You see, it had been pretty easy… class once a week, I can handle that. But this week is where I ran into trouble… because I actually had work to do. And not enough time to do it in.
Add this to the fact that Sammy has now shared his cold with the rest of us, he’s still not sleeping well, and that things are crazy at work… let’s just say I was frazzled. And my lunch hour is no longer a leisurely time of noshing with my friends, but is now an exercise in productivity. Yesterday during lunch alone I pumped, made a pediatrician appointment, got my oil changed and read part of my text book (while watching some awful soap opera out of the corner of my eye as I waited for my car).
Then last night, after dinner and dishes and putting the kids to bed and cleaning up (ok so really Andy did the dishes and the cleaning up parts), I sat down and tried to do my homework.
But first I had to google half of the words on the syllabus just to figure out what exactly I was supposed to do. And then I sent this direct message to Jenny on Twitter:
“I’ll post tomorrow if humanly possible.Drowning over here, which will probably be the topic at hand. Expect much whining and little insight”
Then I sent out a few S.O.S. messages on Twitter, and as is typically the case, received a few positive and motivating responses. It sounds kind of silly, but it really made me feel better. (For those of you who are holding out, you should really join in the Twitter fun. Click on the links in the upper left corner to follow me and Jenny!)
Anyway, after I finally got started, it didn’t seem as bad as I had thought. Eventually, I kind of found my groove. I got some things done, and although I still have plenty left to do (like read the last four fifths of my text book. Before tomorrow.), I went to bed last night with the feeling that maybe, just maybe, I can pull this thing off.
But expect much more whining in the meantime.
Could you take most of your classes in the summer when Andy is not teaching and could do do ALL THE WORK AT HOME ? Sorry, Andy.
Oh Mom, I love your willingness to throw Andy under the bus! It’s cracking me up!
I know what you mean – the support I get from my Twitter friends really helps me get through my cranky days!
Hang in there! It does get better. I also completed my masters degree in Education (focusing on Instructional design) as a single mom of 2 working full time. There were definitely days when I questioned my sanity but 5 years later, it was so worth the time and energy.
Best of luck to you!
It does get better! Keep in mind that it is okay to get a B or even a C. You don’t have to be perfect. You’ll still graduate and your future employers will not check your GPA. Sometimes the difference between success and failure is just showing up and filling out the paperwork! You’ll be surprised that what you think is average or worse work just might turn out to be the best in the class! If you really mess up, most of the time professors will let you redo it.
Just a note on the reading, I read my textbooks like crazy my first year. After babies started coming, that eased off dramatically. By my last year, I didn’t even buy half the books and still graduated with a great GPA from an Ivy League school! Professors would like you to read everything but rarely expect it. Sometimes if you just Google the topics you’ll know enough to sound intelligent in class (for those super crazy kid sick days). Also, save all your papers so you can return to them to get sources for future papers. Makes life much easier when you have a set of bibliography references to pull from that you know well. Whenever you go to thrift stores, check out their textbook section. Buy the ones that you think you can use later for papers.
You can do this! You’ve already got the technical skills that will help you succeed. BTW, many professors are not up on technology and love it when you show them something cool. I showed one how to cut and paste from a pdf and he thought I was brilliant. Haha.
I am right there with you! In July, I started my first MBA class and that first week I TOTALLY FREAKED OUT! There were periods of crying, screeching, wailing (okay, maybe not wailing) When I finally sat down and just focused and started doing SOMETHING, I was just like you. I found my groove and I’ve been doing great ever since! I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who gets so uptight about these things. By the way, I love your blog! You guys crack me up!
You can do it! You can do it! I’m glad Twittering is helping to motivate you. I hope you’re feeling better!
Trina at Frugal Dr. Mom is right. It’s hard for high-achieving firstborns to accept less than an A, but with a Master’s they don’t even give you a Summa Cum Laud when you deserve it. I went full-time when I got my M.A. and I over-worked it big time and got all A’s and I am sure my employers never once looked at my transcript. When I later was hiring people myself, I saw their diplomas and never their transcripts.
Hang in there. I’m on the other side of this – like Andy. My DH is finishing his bachelors. He used to go to class one night a week 6-10pm until he was moved to second shift at work. Now he takes online classes, which actually seems to be more work, as there is no designated class work/discussion time.
I end up doing everything at home but the bils, which he had to take over because I had no “alone” time with the computer available to do all of that. School is why I’m here at home right now with B, and so is he – he’s doing homework and I’m watching over our sick girl and losing work. If he were not in school, I would have gone in half day and come home before he had to leave. School is also the primary reason we want to wait another year or so before trying to have another child. It’s a lot of work – for both spouses, particularly if they both work full time. It will be worth the sacrifices though.