Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Welcome 2011...and I'm already stressing?

I am a planner. I spent Christmas vacation reading textbooks for this coming trimester so I can have a head start and finish early. Last night I got online to see if the professors for my 2 classes this trimester have posted welcome letters and schedules. They have. And both also added required reading that WASN'T on the syllabi from last semester. That is perfectly within their rights, since classes don't start until the 8th, but since I was going off of the required reading already posted to try to "GET AHEAD" and complete all the course work early-- i.e. BEFORE baby comes in early April-- having those extra reading assignments kinda stresses me out.

So I did what I do best and got out my calendar and scheduled out what I have to read every night to complete the coursework a month ahead of time... and something about having all those books and articles glaring at me from my planner for the next 3 months just stressed me out even further rather than becoming a comfort. If I drop a class, I can't take it again until next year. That will set me behind in my graduation goal and mean I'll still be in school when we add a third child-- which could push graduation back an entire year if I have to take off more for first trimester woes. So I can either take both classes now and be kind of overwhelmed for the next 3 months while in my third trimester and possibly have to settle for B's instead of A's, or I can push my entire graduation back a whole year and be juggling larger family responsibilities (i.e. another child) with writing and defending a Thesis. Ugh.

What would YOU do?

12 comments:

  1. My first reaction is to do it now! As Christmas was approaching and I had to write a huge paper and take a class final while my husband was out of town, my sister wrote me an email and said to just get it done. She wishes she would have finished her online courses while her kids were younger because her life has just gotten busier as time goes by and classes are harder and harder to finish. So I pushed through and it was a HUGE relief! I say enlist help now--find friends to play with Gwen while you read/study every day; don't be afraid to line people up every day and tell them how important it is for the next few months to hunker down--and do your best now. You might have setbacks during this trimester but do your best. My other advice is to be okay with Bs or even Cs! (Remember, "C's get degrees!") You're a mom and that's your first priority right now. I took a D- on my final paper so I could complete my course and I ended up with an A final grade. It's okay if you don't get straight A's in your program this time! Cut yourself some slack but still try your best without stressing out too much! Juggling more kids is going to complicate school a lot more. But this is your decision so if you postpone things, that's fine too!! Make a decision and take it to the Lord. Okay, enough rambling here...

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  2. yes, do it now! but kid #3? girl, take a break!

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  3. Both plans have their advantages and disadvantages. What you need to do is find a balance between goals and life. I know you'll make the right decision for you!

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  4. I did my M.S. during my first year of full-time teaching. It was a beast trying to read, research, write, work, give Kris the time he needed, and still sleep and eat occasionally. I remember very well the exhausting feeling of being totally overwhelmed by those nasty to-do-lists-of-the-future known as syllabi. But that time was my window of oportunity and I'm really glad that I squeezed through it. And as stressed out as I was at the time, that's all behind me now.

    I doubt you'll feel less overwhelmed approaching those same to-do lists later. Eat the elephant, my friend, one bite at a time.

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  5. Now. Really. Don't wait. You can do it.

    B's may be average but it's very apparent you are not.

    Good luck!

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  6. Push through it (that's what I'd do.) And then try to have patience with yourself.

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  7. Just do it now!! You'll be glad when it's over and then you'll be over to focus on your family. I know it's tempting to just push it back and have more time and more options, but really are you going to have any extra time when another one comes around?? And we both know how those woes make life STOP. You don't wanna have to worry about classes and thesis too.

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  8. Relax...and bring Gwen over here if you need more time to read. We're more than happy to help you out! And Christopher could use a play date. :)

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  9. WOW good for you for being such a planner! I would say do it now!

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  10. You've probably already decided but...just DO it. You know from experience that anything that's hard to do when you're pregnant is nearly impossible after the baby comes. That is just as true for a second baby as it was for the first. Take the help wherever you can get it. Asking five friends to watch one little girl for a few hours once a week is no big deal - asking them to watch 2 or 3 gets trickier. Good luck!!

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  11. remember B's get degrees!! You can do it!! You are amazing.

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  12. I think you could do anything! So, if you want to go to school, go for it!!!! You're incredible. I loved your lesson on Sunday, by the way.

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