dirty ethel rackham Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 Updates, anyone? I'll start. Yesterday was the first day of my 2-year Diagnostic Medical Sonography program. I am in class from 8:30 am to 9pm with one 3-hour break (and short breaks between classes.) It was awesome. Our cohort has become pretty close with all the emailing and texting back and forth and we are like best buds already. Instructors so far are great. And, the clinical director told me that things can be worked out for me to go to Spain during my Spring Break to visit dd who will be studying in Madrid. It has been my lifelong dream, but it was looking like the clinicals were going to interfere with that dream. When I explained the situation she said "You just HAVE to go. We will work things so you don't miss any clinicals!" Yay! But, I tell you, I am exhausted. I thought it was just because I haven't been sleeping much and that I am old and lack stamina. But, everyone else in the class (all younger than me) is complaining of being totally dead today. So, I am not alone. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 I stared back this week. I am teaching one online class and one T/TH class, then I'm taking a Shakespeare class and a Linguistics class. I think the workload looks really good and it should be a great semester, except that on top of that I'm taking comprehensive exams in October and my Degree paper also has to be in about the same time. I've been working on studying and writing all summer, so I'm in reasonable shape, but I'm guessing September and October are going to be pretty stressful as I try to finish those things. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted August 22, 2019 Share Posted August 22, 2019 Glad things are off to a great start Ethel! As for exams, Debbie, just pace yourself. It will be stressful, but you'll get through it 🙂 As for me, well y'all know of the committee implosion. I decided to take this semester off so I have time to reorganize it and figure out if I need to pick a new focus/direction, since the professor overseeing my general dissertation idea is the one who left in June. Classes start here on Monday and already it feels weird that I won't have any. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 The graduate certificate I've been working on requires one class, and I had planned on stopping after that. However, a couple of months ago, I stumbled across info about an M.A. that sounds kind of perfect for me. Even though I was too late to apply for the program, I talked my way into being allowed to register for one class that is required for the M.A. but open enrollment. As I've shared elsewhere, though, I've got some medical stuff going on, and I'm still not sure exactly how much it will interfere with my life. I also started a new job just about a month ago. So, I've been really wrestling with the question of how much to plan on investing in school this semester. Anyway, the time came this week to pay tuition, and I decided to just forge ahead and hope for the best. Classes start Monday. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 Classes started back last week. I'm still trying to figure out my new schedule. I am taking 2 online classes and one in person, plus tutoring (which requires my presence in 2 more classes), plus my hospital volunteer gig....it's a lot. I spent some time yesterday making a color coded weekly schedule so I could visualize my week. Add to this, I'm trying very hard to keep up with the good exercise and eating habits I built up over the summer. I did well with exercise last week, but eating went to pot. My mistake was not meal planning (because last weekend was bananas). Thank God for the labor day holiday. I really needed a day to regroup. Another development, I've been in a holding pattern while waiting for the application cycle for nursing programs to come around. Well, I discovered that one of our local Cal States has a spring admit, so I applied! It's a long shot- they get 400+ applicants for 40 spots, but it's exciting. If I got into this program, it would significantly speed up my timeline. I think they send out interview invitations in mid-October, so now I wait. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted September 3, 2019 Author Share Posted September 3, 2019 Ooh! Good luck @ sassenach, I hope your application goes well. I'me heading into week 3 of classes and I am overwhelmed. I spent a good 10 hours making quizlets for this week's quizzes. I am loving every minute of this. Now, if I could just get our group text to quiet down so I can finish studying. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 I took this semester off as I'm still on the fence (more off than on) about finishing my Grad Diploma. I'm working 2 part-time jobs, homeschooling my youngest, and trying to keep up with the schedules' my other 3 dc. I may do a course next semester - if it changes to at least partly in-person, instead of the useless-to-me on-line. I much prefer seeing and speaking with the prof and all the other students in the class when I'm paying $1000/course. It's really exciting to hear about all your pursuits with your programs! I really do enjoy taking courses, but I have to admit that when I attend Grand Round presentations at my work-place, get lunch and refreshments, and there is no paper to write, it's WAAAAAAY better! It's really fascinating to hear about the latest research in my field from the principal investigators and experts themselves. And I get paid! I'm totally talking myself out of being a student again. 😂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted September 8, 2019 Share Posted September 8, 2019 (edited) Well, I reached a kind of breakdown point earlier this week. There was major prep for Dorian, the hurricane that didn't hit us but kept us in suspense, and my son's car died -- for real this time -- meaning I ended up driving him around town and listening to him talk endlessly about how he might be able to afford to replace the car and what cars he was considering. I kept seeing days slip by on the calendar and comparing the current date to the deadlines for assorted assignments, until I pretty much lost it on Thursday. I'm already past the official drop date, but I was strongly considering withdrawing from the second class, getting whatever refund I could and retiring to lick my wounds until next semester. When it became clear exactly how under water and upset I was, my husband and son (who normally cannot be in the same room for more than 5 minutes without tension and drama) somehow rallied and managed to work together to make it possible for me to devote a significant chunk of hours to studying. Then, once the university officially reopened on Friday, the professor for the second course, the one with the much more significant workload and that I don't "need" to finish the certificate, announced he had pushed back due dates on a couple of assignments and made another one optional. So, I spent pretty much all day yesterday in front of my computer reading journal articles and writing assignments and taking quizzes until I felt like I could breathe again. At this point, since I am past the drop deadline and would be looking at a W on my transcript no matter what, the only value to dropping a class now rather than in November is how partial a refund I would get. And, while money is nice, I'm willing to take the risk and hope I will be able to keep up. With any luck, the car I am taking my son to look at today will be good and we won't have another major weather-related disruption and my medical issues will not get in the way more than necessary and I will have enough time and energy to manage the rest of the semester. Edited September 8, 2019 by Jenny in Florida 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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