Life of the 30-something college student

One thing I know for sure, there is very little in life I regret. Recently, Ryan and I had the “What would life look like if I went back 15 years but had today’s knowledge?” conversation. For me, there would be one major difference. I would have finished college right away! Children or not, I would stick to my studies and finished college.

I now know that college IS a young person’s game. It’s not that I cannot finish my college degrees now and do well; it just takes so much more from me. Today I was in the middle of memorizing psychology terms for my exam when my alarm goes off to pick of the kids from school and I have to stop everything to run around in the car for hours. And yes, I actually have an alarm go off so I don’t get engrossed in my studies and “forget” my kids. When I get home from picking up kids, it will be homework time and I’ll have to fix dinner. By the time Ryan gets home and eats dinner it will be time to put kids in bed. This should be a great time to do homework, but I’m easily distracted because I haven’t seen Ryan all day. Next thing I know it’s 11 o’clock and I have an hour to finish my assignment and get it posted before I get late points. Oh and it has been like this for months and probably will continue. I seem to be a creature of habit.

So you’re thinking I need to prioritize my time to be more efficient. Ha! Okay, let’s say I can even begin that task. I could get up earlier to study when the house is quiet, but I have very light sleepers and if I even flush the toilet after 5 am I have 2-3 little girls up and asking me questions (thank goodness the boys sleep soundly—actually I have to set off fire alarms to wake them). I could be disciplined and not spend time with Ryan in the evenings, making that “sacred study time” until I’m done with school in a million years. Hmmm, I’m a newly wed and that doesn’t really work for me. I know! I’ll quit fixing dinner! No, I’m pretty sure the family would revolt! Really, it’s not a matter of prioritizing. I get it all done…I’m just exhausted!

I think the killer for me is my current professor is younger (and I mean significantly so) than I and has his masters and is teaching me! What on earth am I thinking? It’s going to take me twice as long to get the same degrees and by then who is going to hire a 40-something with no job experience in my field?

Well, I’ll tell you what I was thinking…I will obey God. I know it might have taken me 15 years (or maybe my whole life so far) to listen AND obey, but better late than never. I’m just trying to figure out why there seems to be so much wax in my ears. It has been really difficult to hear God’s voice in the recent days. Some days I wonder why I’m going to school at all and for whom I’m going.

Let me just put this into perspective. At the rate I’m going, Dean will be done with four years of high school, four years of college and possibly considering a masters program by the time I’m finished with school. I’m sorry…that’s depressing!

Okay, I’m taking a deep breath. (I’d type the sound effect but I’m not sure it has any value right now.) Back to being a 30-something college student, I know I’m not the only one. In fact in lots of my classes I seem to be the youngest one! Some days that’s of great comfort. Other days I wonder how on earth these people keep up with their lives when I can’t seem to remember if I’ve eaten lunch or I have rewashed the same load of laundry several times because I keep forgetting about it.

It comes down to one thing for me: one step at a time! I don’t have to finish all my degrees today. Today I just have to finishing my reading summary and post it. Today I have to make a quick dinner. Today I have small group, one of the highlights of my week. AND Today I have already picked up kids from school, gone to Sam’s and the pet store and got totally engrossed in my homework and forgot to eat both breakfast and lunch till 1 pm! All in all it was a pretty good day. Hope I remember this the next time I’m trying to do homework an hour before deadline.