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Thursday, March 10, 2016

What was I thinking?!

I started classes on Monday. Yes, I'm 33 and back in school, getting an MBA (much like about 60% of 33 year olds these days!).

I have no clue why I am doing this to myself: an accelerated degree program that can be completed in under a year and a half. So far, I've been up until midnight every night this week. I don't have the kind of job where I could possibly work on classes during a lull or on lunch (I don't get a lunch break). And I work 9 hours days. And I have track on Mondays, Bible study on Tuesdays, and church community group on Wednesdays. So I am cramming in all of my work in the late evening. Tonight will be the first activity-free night, and I will try to get to bed at a more reasonable time.
We were traveling this weekend, so I hope things get easier next week, when I will have been able to do some reading and prep over the weekend.
Anyone else getting their MBA, or got one while already in the work force?

11 comments:

  1. Hahaha. Are you me? Except without the whole kids thing, and I don't have a doctorate in Pharmacy, and I'm cough cough almost 38... You amaze me because you already have an advanced degree, so why go back for more?
    I went back, to school at my husband's urging. I had wanted to go back but, I wasn't sure my family would be able to handle the crazy schedule... So far so good. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I got my bachelor's in 2007, and this is the first time I've gone to school where everything is online. I know my running is going to take a hit. But, it will only be for a year due to the accelerated nature of the program. what are you going to get you emphasis in? I'm so glad I have someone else I can commiserate with...

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    1. Woo-hoo, MBA buddies! I'm totally online, too, but it's from a state school.So oddly, most of the students are pretty local! This is also a 13 month program, but I needed a foundation course prior (my accounting didn't transfer) plus I plan to take one 7-week period off halfway through.

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  2. A. Congrats! I think you're up for the challenge!
    B. What about cutting one of the 2 church/spiritual nights out for the next 18 mos?
    C. What about dropping the track night and just doing maintenance running in the mornings for a year or so?
    D. How do you not get a lunch break???

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    Replies
    1. A. Thanks! But I hate school!
      B. I'm dropping one of the Bible studies. It's a long story as to why we are even still doing it...
      C. We shall see if track even sticks. It's a newer group.
      D. Almost no pharmacists get lunch breaks. If I went on break, who would fill the prescriptions?

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  3. I wasn't working, but I had a toddler when getting my MBA at Wharton, and that was fun :-/

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  4. I got my MBA when I was working full time. I echo was Carina says - find a way to cut back on 1-2 nights of other plans. I know it's not ideal but you will run yourself into the ground otherwise. I did not take on much in my personal life when I was in school because homework, going to classes, and meeting to work on group project work was so time consuming!

    Good luck!

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  5. No MBA, but I did go back to grad school in 2010 to get my M.A. in English. At the time, my boys were 2, 4, and 7. I remember one time doing my online discussion board posts in a hotel bathroom so that I wouldn't keep them up. Also had to finish a paper while my husband and I vacationed in Napa Valley for his 40th birthday. I was teaching part-time at our community college as well. It was a STRUGGLE! You are smart and focused though, so you will get through it.

    Re: continued education, I'm starting teacher training through teachNOLA this summer, so there will be 5 weeks of "boot camp" style training where we meet from 7 am-6 pm. I have NO idea how I'm going to train unless I get up at 4:30 am. Sigh.

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  6. Yikes, you're brave. Good luck balancing everything! I know a couple of people who have done the grown-up MBA thing and it does seem super intense.

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  7. Wow, congrats! What are you hoping to do with the MBA? It's impressive to hear everyone's stories! Hang in there. It's definitely nice that the program is accelerated (more pain for a shorter amount of time) in my opinion anyway. Good luck! Going to school as an older student was tough for me and I didn't even finish my program! :)

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  8. Hang in there, you can do it. I got my MFA while working full-time, raising a child by myself and working a second job on weekends. It was stressful but also kind of invigorating. I didn't run at the time, though. I swam, since I could do it lying down, hee, hee. Cheers and take care. I know you can do it.

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  9. Oof. Going back to school is so much tougher as an adult. Good luck with it! Are you getting sponsored by your company as part of some sort of management-track program?

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