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sophiaserpentiaI work for a university, and have a wonderful perk in that I can take two classes per semester for almost no tuition and fees. I didn't, however, count on the hidden costs of going to school while continuing to work full-time. I've been working essentially 60 hours a week since the summer of 2009. Doing so has had a deep impact on my health - just since last fall for example I've developed a repetitive strain injury and pinched a nerve in my shoulder (requiring drugs and physical therapy), lost untold amounts of sleep, experienced at least one panic attack, and found myself in tears waking up one morning to realize that a third of my hair had fallen out.
We are still in a depressed economy and a lot of people are choosing mid-career to return to school. So - for anyone over 35 who is considering a similar course, I offer my hard-earned words of wisdom. These sound like basic things, but those are the first things you will overlook when you get overwhelmed, and these are *not* things you want to overlook. I wish I had been paying attention to them from the beginning.
1. Take extra steps to avoid repetitive strain injury. You will likely spend a lot more time on the computer than you're used to, or at least your computer routines will change. A more ergonomic setup at home will save you a lot of grief in the long run.
2. Schleeeep. I can't stress the importance of this enough. Sometimes you may have to trade a letter grade on an assignment for proper sleep. Choose the sleep when you need to. Seriously.
3. Vitamins. Take them even if you eat well... which, due to demands on your time, you won't anymore, unless cooking reduces your stress level. You're demanding a lot more of your body than it's used to.
4. Self care. Whatever it is that reduces your stress level - do it. Prayer, meditation, reading, hanging out, exercising, hiking, clubbing, hosting orgies, whatever it might be, make sure you do it at least once a week.
5. Try not to let your social life wither on the vine. It might anyway. But it's kind of awful to look around at the end of a term and not know when was the last time you saw your friends.
We are still in a depressed economy and a lot of people are choosing mid-career to return to school. So - for anyone over 35 who is considering a similar course, I offer my hard-earned words of wisdom. These sound like basic things, but those are the first things you will overlook when you get overwhelmed, and these are *not* things you want to overlook. I wish I had been paying attention to them from the beginning.
1. Take extra steps to avoid repetitive strain injury. You will likely spend a lot more time on the computer than you're used to, or at least your computer routines will change. A more ergonomic setup at home will save you a lot of grief in the long run.
2. Schleeeep. I can't stress the importance of this enough. Sometimes you may have to trade a letter grade on an assignment for proper sleep. Choose the sleep when you need to. Seriously.
3. Vitamins. Take them even if you eat well... which, due to demands on your time, you won't anymore, unless cooking reduces your stress level. You're demanding a lot more of your body than it's used to.
4. Self care. Whatever it is that reduces your stress level - do it. Prayer, meditation, reading, hanging out, exercising, hiking, clubbing, hosting orgies, whatever it might be, make sure you do it at least once a week.
5. Try not to let your social life wither on the vine. It might anyway. But it's kind of awful to look around at the end of a term and not know when was the last time you saw your friends.
