I like going to school. I enjoy it even more now than when I was a teenager. I don’t know if the difference is that as a teenager I had to go and now I want to go, but it is something I really enjoy doing.
During a recent coffee break with my neighbor she asked how I possibly had the time to go to college.
Online colleges are great for military spouses who have a busy schedule. I think they are the best and most flexible way to get your degree.
I attended an online college while I was in the Navy. My spouse is also in the Navy and between the two of us we had a very busy work schedule. I was also pregnant with our second child.
Going to school is not easy to do. While some people may not consider being a student a job, I think it is.
You have to research the different schools and programs. Decide how this is going to benefit you and your family. Will you grow in your career with this new degree? And then, there is what I worry about the most: how I will pay for school.
When I was
young, I wanted to be a ballerina. I twirled around my room in my pink tutu and pretended I was on stage.
Then, I wanted to be a schoolteacher. In high school, and until the time I joined the military, I wanted to be a radio broadcaster. Each dream I had also came with a goal - to be the best I can possibly be.
Midterms are almost over and grades are coming in. This is when I am the most nervous. My mind is filled with questions: Have I studied enough? Could I have done more?
When it’s time to register for classes, the first thing I think about is finding the courses that best fit both my home schedule and my military life schedule.
To make sure I am able to pick up the kids from school, I take morning and early afternoon classes. Sometimes that means a class I really need, that is offered in the afternoon, will have to wait until another semester when it is offered at a different time.
Finding time to study is a task in itself. The insanity of three major holidays makes the chore even harder. And this year, my husband is going to be in the field for most of November making me a single parent and doubling my daily to-do list.
During Halloween, I got lucky. Rather than make costumes by hand, I found my son’s on sale and borrowed my daughter’s costume from a friend. It meant my study time wasn’t taken away by focusing on the holiday.
The key to free time is effective time management. As holidays, midterms and finals approach, you have to make time at least once a week for yourself.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are the only days I have just one class. After my class time is finished, I am free to do whatever I want until it is time to take my son to Jiu Jitsu. However, this time is usually taken up by errands I have to run and getting in extra study time before the kids get home.
Finding a new job or college to attend in a new location can be very stressful. It is especially difficult for a military spouse who is moving every three years or less.
As a military spouse these changes can include looking for a new job, becoming a stay-at-home parent or a college student. These changes affect our everyday lifestyle.
I’ve found some tips that have eased my PCS stress and I would like to share them with you.
The holidays are here, my favorite time of the year. It’s also the busiest time of the year.
October is Halloween - doors and front yards are decorated with spider webs, witches and goblins. My pantry looks like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and it seems like every week there’s an event to attend to.
On top of that, I have midterms.
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