According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are about 14 million U.S. students who are age 25 or older. If you’re considering going back to school as an adult, it’s possible. Read on for some suggestions on how to balance schoolwork with the other responsibilities of life.
Get in the Right Mindset
Feeling apprehensive about going to college when you’re older is natural. Change can be tough. Even when the outcome will likely be positive, people still avoid having to adapt to different circumstances.
Whenever you start to feel fearful about getting your education, try to target the source of those emotions, and use the available resources. When you can identify your feelings in a logical way, you’ll often see that whatever you were previously afraid of is certainly something that you can conquer with help.
For example, if your financial situation is making you pause, research financial aid and scholarship options. Alternatively, if you’re worried that you’ll have a hard time managing childcare alongside your studies, work on getting childcare for the hours that you’ll be in class.
When you face your fears head on, you’ll be able to find practical ways to deal with them. For some, this type of pressure means that they’ll end up not going back to school after all. Instead, tap into your inner grace and rise above anything that’s a source of stress.
Make your Schedule Carefully
Take a look at class schedule options, too. Fortunately, many universities have classes throughout the day and night. This makes it much easier to diligently handle your time outside of coursework. It takes practice, but over time, you’ll be able to spend time tackling your textbooks, and be with your family, too.
Get your Priorities Straight
Even when you have the benefit of a class schedule that meets your needs, you still have work to do. Prioritizing is important for students of any age, and it’s a skill that you can’t develop overnight.
Learn how you work best, and plan your studying schedule accordingly. This might mean that you end up studying late at night after the kids have gone to bed, or you’ve put in a full day at the office.
You might also find that it’s useful to make a checklist of all that you need to do. Some people get great satisfaction from simply checking off a task once it’s completed, and enjoying the visual stimulation of a list that’s characterized by checkmarks.
Everyone gets the same amount of hours in a day. The trick is knowing how to prioritize what’s most important so that you maintain productive and clear-headed.
Focus on the Positive Factors
You’ll undoubtedly encounter some obstacles as an adult learner. However, it’s crucial to constantly remind yourself of the reasons why you began this journey in the first place.
Perhaps you might be returning to school to learn how fulfill your dreams of starting a business. Are you educating yourself as a way to safeguard the future for yourself and loved ones? No matter what your reasons are, strive to keep things in perspective, especially when things get tough.
By keeping these suggestions in mind, you’ll be giving yourself a strong chance at success. Your future is waiting. Meet it with confidence.
Michelle Poland is an avid business blogger. If you’re considering a business degree but don’t want to quit your job, you may be interested in an Executive MBA program, for example: executivemba.howard.edu.