It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. I’ve been busy (as everyone on this site is!) with my classes and my kids and my husband and my job. It’s overwhelming, to say the least. But, my first semester is finished and I got all As! I’m pretty excited about that. This semester feels a lot harder, though, and I’m less than a month in. Last semester I was taking three classes - Bio 1, Chem 1, and Precal. This semester I’m taking three classes again - Bio 2, Chem 2, and Sociology. I’m dropping the sociology class. It’s incredibly easy (it’s an 1101 class), but I spend more time doing the ridiculous amount of assignments for that class than I do studying for my other two classes combined. I feel like that is a total waste of my time. Honestly I only took sociology because of the new 2016 requirements, but I’m not even sure it’s going to be a new requirement. If it’s not, I’m not taking it. But honestly I don’t even know if I should continue at all. My job isn’t that many hours a week, but I work until midnight, which is difficult sometimes when my sons wake me up by 6 the next morning. Every little bit helps financially, though, so I feel torn. I mean, the fact is that we will struggle if I quit my job. Maybe not a lot, but we will struggle. I’m not sure if that’s acceptable. I was offered a freelance editing position (based on my previous degree and experience) which is amazing, but the money there isn’t consistent, so I have to keep my regular job and do this one in the hopes that it becomes more consistent, or at least more profitable than my current job. But that leaves even less time for studying. I hate to quit when I had a good first semester, particularly after this semester has already started and I would have Ws on my transcript, not to mention the loans I would have to start paying back in 6 months. But this is one of those times where it’s starting to feel hopeless. I’m already stretched razor thin and the thought of adding shadowing on top of that makes me want to cry. Any words of encouragement or advice are very appreciated. Thanks! And I hope everyone is doing ok!
Hey Rachel
I hear you and a few years back, I was feeling the same frustration as you. 1) Keep my job, 2) Go to class and 3) take care of my kids during the day since we couldn’t afford daycare. My wife would work during the day and I would work during the evenings and Saturdays. So no family life, always working.
However, the only way it worked it’s because I took 1 to 2 classes max during each semester. More than that would have been struggles. So you should think about a long term plan and at this rate you might crash quite sooner that you expect. Just slow down a bit. Life should also be enjoyed. Sure it will delay things a bit. But now I am in Med School and it’s all worth it. Going too fast, you may not make it.
Remember it’s a marathon, not a race!
- redo-it-all Said:
I think I remember a thread where you told us "if I ever stop working, I'll literally fall asleep immediately."
Rachel, Just wanted to let you know I’m pulling for you and I feel you. I have the same schedule as you and I’m not working. I still feel so burnt out just 3 weeks into the semester.
Chem 102 is significantly harder for me than 101. I physically threw my chem book across the room last weekend. Bio is more work, although it’s also a lot more interesting to me. I’m coming off of a marathon studying session, which has been repeating since Monday and will repeat until next Thursday. It’s tough.
What you’re dealing with is a means to an end. Don’t make any long term decisions when you’re feeling this low.
Here is one more way option to think about.
Put off school for a semester or a year. Work your tail off - 2 jobs, freelancing - anything and everything. Scrimp and save and put yourself in a position to be able to quit and be a full time student.
I had a long conversation with a premed just a couple weeks ago and during the conversation you could hear the relieve in her voice when she decided that was right for her.
Good luck!!!
Thanks, everyone. 
I need to keep in mind the whole “a marathon, not a race” mentality. It’s hard for me because I’ve always been a person who decides to do something and then does it as quickly as I can because I never have had a reason not to. It’s not working out as well this time, though. Chem 2 is at least 50% harder for me than Chem 1 was, but I can’t say I’ve thrown anything yet! Just cried and decided to quit. Same thing, really. I don’t know if I feel better about the whole thing, although everyone’s responses were helpful, but I at least don’t feel like the only one going through this crisis of sorts. Unfortunately, postponing isn’t an option, barring an unexpected pregnancy or something crazy like that, because there’s no way I could afford the loan payments if I quit school. I dropped sociology today, though, and already I feel the tiniest bit of relief. I don’t see how it’s possible to keep going without quitting my job, though. I just don’t. I got my schedule for next week today and almost burst into tears. I have two tests and a paper due next week, so the thought of working when I could be studying, not to mention that the freelance work I’m doing has to be done by Friday, is enough to make me want to quit everything. But I persist and try to remember that this will (in theory) afford a better life for my family. I wonder if I’ll ever sleep more than 5 hours on a regular basis ever again. 
I hear you as well. It’s been a tough year altogether. I was able to get only 28 volunteer hours since September. But we have to prioritize, family comes first, financial responcibilities are important too.On top of full time job and solo parenting for a year, 2 classes and that small ammount of volunteer hours all I could squeeze in.We will get through this!