Hello everyone, I am a 29 year old mother of two (10 and 8 year old boys). I have been on this journey for a very long time. I was a high school drop out due to my siblings and i having been abandoned by our parents and I had to support them financially. I worked two jobs at the age of 17, 6 days a week and went to school to get a GED 1 day a week.
I didn’t start college (community college) until i was in my twenties. And because I had a GED, i had to start from the very bottom of all courses like math, reading, writing, etc. So it took me an extra long amount of time to even get an AA and transfer to a university. I finally did last year. in the fall of 2016 I transferred to a university still without having taken my prerequisite classes for Med school. I got multiple acceptances but chose to stay locally at a Cal state because my kids had established their life at a school that was around the corner from my house and their biological dad lives here so I didn’t want to uproot them, even though i got accepted in to my dream UC school.
Unfortunately, at this school, they don’t offer the courses i need for med school. I mean they do, but at the main campus, where i have to drive 1 hour and 20 min to get there. Which is not as much of a problem during the school year because my kids are in school, but i have to work as well.
I have a very supportive husband, Like annoyingly supportive. But unfortunately he had to take a job 100 miles away back in 2015. He lives out of town for a large part of the week which leaves me as a single mom. We cannot afford for me to also not work, so on top of being a part time single mom and going to school full time, I also work during the day. My grades started suffering this past quarter and I am worried that if i don’t figure my life out I will keep having a downward trend in my grades.
My biggest issue right now is that my health is being affected too. I have been sick at least 5 times this year with a cold/flu/ear infection etc. I am not sleeping well. I am constantly tired and if I do sleep I’m still tired and sleepy. I have daily headaches and I don’t feel like I can concentrate or focus on anything that i am doing. I am not retaining information. And since my kids have sports I have to bring them to, I hardly get enough time to study, making any information even less retainable.
Most importantly though, my husband being out of town all week is not ideal. So I am thinking that I need to finish off my degree (which is psychology) this year and go out in to the work force, get my husband back home where he can continue to work for himself like he used to while i make some income, and take the prereqs at the community college. I think this is a bad idea, but it feels like the only option at this time. I know CC courses are not the best look in an applicant, but I really don’t know what else to do.
Anyway, sorry for the long post, if anybody had some advise I would greatly appreciate it.
Take care of you. All the things you are doing right now are moving you forward. It sounds like trying to sprint right now could put significant strain on all the supports and strengths you have going right now. What may seem like a pause is still you moving forward, because it will allow you to pursue this when the timing is right for you to be more successful. You have accomplished SO much already, and taking a step to the side won’t undo any of it.
If you can figure out how to do it now, GO FOR IT. But if it can’t work right now, put your energy into what you can do, and then revisit when the timing is better. Hugs-- it can be disappointing when you feel like you have to tap the breaks.