Saturday, March 10, 2018

Why I chose the part time route for nursing school

I should preface this post but apologizing ten fold. Life has been busy and literally, this blog is the last thing on my mind at times. Sometimes, if I am walking to my car or doing something mindless, I think about coming here and uploading new content but then I inevitably brush it off. In any case, I will try, once again, to get this blog back on track.

This post is an explanation on why I chose the pt route for school. For me, the ft program was not an option as I am not a conventional student. Yes, I do not have kids or a partner etc., but I do need to work. Every time I think about quitting my job and getting a part time gig instead, my panic buttons go off. How can I do that when I still have insurance, car expenses, books, tuition, rent etc., to pay for? So, I keep doing what I need to do. I have opted to take the bus as an option but my school is in Toronto, and I live outside of that city and the cost of transit is just as much as gas and insurance. Plus, the time public transit takes would eat a lot into my precious study and sleep allowance.

If I had a choice, I would have up and left my job a long time ago. It is a well paid, enjoyable at times, job. I am grateful for the benefits and being on salary but I really wish I could leave it just to finish my schooling. On average, I take three courses per semester but ideally, I would have liked to get up to five. Currently, I cannot afford to take more due to the rigors of intense classes, trying to keep a high GPA (so I can be accepted in the BScN program) and a very demanding job.

As mentioned, my job is extremely demanding. I work an obscene amount of hours per week, even going in on weekends, when need be. The company is prosperous (for which I am again, very grateful) but it does cause me high amounts of anxiety. I want to take at least four courses per semester, but when I think about my work obligations and how it will effect my marks, I get skittish.

At the end of the day, working ft and going to school pt, is the only option for me. Things may change in my life but not for the foreseeable future. And, that is why I am going to school part time.