I have been in school for 17 years of my life, college for
5, and I am about to be done forever. I will graduate with my bachelor’s degree
in June and it is hard to wrap my head around. After being in school for so
long, and thinking about that end date, it’s hard to believe it’ll be complete
in less than 4 months, just in time to enjoy my first summer off school in years. I
don’t even know what I’m going to do with myself; laugh, cry, jump, scream,
sleep, or just enjoy my free time! Whatever I do, it won’t be school work!
Check out this link to read graduation statistics from the Census. I am so happy to join the 33% of the population holding a Bachelor's degree! http://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2016/demo/p20-578.pdf
Balancing school, work, and life was going pretty well for
the most part, then my beautiful baby girl came along and made it so much more
difficult to focus and work. Previously, I set time aside to study and I was
able focus on my schoolwork and accomplish what needed to be done. But being a
wife and a mother caused me to make some big changes in order to be successful
in school. Here are a few of the things I have done to help encourage success
in my time management:
- Set a designated time to do schoolwork every
day. For me, this is any time Brooklyn is asleep. Nap time = school time.
- Organize your week ahead of time and do your
best to stick to that schedule. Mapping out the week before it starts helps get
a visual of what your week will be like plus it makes you accountable to stay
on track.
- Keep your end goals in mind. When I’m feeling
especially drained or discouraged, I just think about graduation and the
happiness that comes with achieving that goal. It’s a great motivator.
-
Give yourself breaks. If your schedule allows,
give yourself at least one night a week to yourself; no schoolwork or readings,
just relaxation. This is the best day of the week 😊
If you have any other tips or tricks to share, please share
them in the comments!
💗
Ashley
I'm graduating in June as well. I am so excited, but a little nervous how I will handle my free time. When I get a break in between semesters now, I tend to take on too many additional projects. I also have a very difficult time sitting and relaxing if there is anything at all that can be done.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! Also, great tips!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on almost graduating!! I intend on graduating in December and it cannot come soon enough. It has taken me a little bit longer to finish school because I changed my major at some point. But it feels never ending! I could not help but to agree with everything you said in your blog. I too make sure that I have my week planned out, because I will stress way too much if i don't know what to expect. Taking breaks is always a great thing, because over working your brain does more harm than good in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on almost graduating! I have about a year left and I often think about how I will feel when I am officially done. I think you offered us great tips. Mapping out the week has really helped me in online learning, and trying to give myself one day a week with no schooling. I believe I am more productive that way.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Ashley! Enjoy the extra time you'll have to spend with your family. There's nothing like watching your little one discover the world - and they grow up so quickly!
ReplyDeleteI am in a similar situation with having to balance work, school and now a newborn baby. It is challenging, but definitely worth it. Congratulations on graduating and becoming a mommy!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree on the breaks..
ReplyDeleteI understand all too well ... I have two boys now and balancing everything is extremely difficult. At this point I am just trying to make it to the finish line, 2 more classes to go!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips Ashley, I am also excited to graduate in June! Balancing a full-time schedule with work and school has been incredibly difficult for me, I can't imagine how hard it would be to add a newborn to the mix. I feel as though one thing is certain though, all of the hard work and effort will pay off in the long run.
ReplyDeleteCongrats!! I am pregnant with my first and I am due in less than a month. I have one class left until I can graduate. I am trying to figure out how to complete it with a newborn. I will definitely be using your advise to get through next semester. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! The end is near for me as well and I couldn't be more excited! Such good advice!
ReplyDelete