By In order to successfully juggle work and school, you need to be dedicated and courageous.
Also, maybe just the slightest bit crazy.
Because when you’re straddling both worlds, you have your own unique challenges….
1. There was a time when you would try to explain just how real the struggle is.
But there are no words.
2. Every now and then, you catch yourself starting to raise your hand before you speak.
3. Other times, you’re trying to stay on task, but then a difficult concept finally clicks.
4. And when you reach into one of your 900 pockets, you find what is actually not a pen…but a pencil.
5. You’re really trying to limit your spending ’cause tuition ain’t cheap, so whenever there are snacks in the break room that are up for grabs:
6. But you generally have to set an alarm to remind yourself to eat, never sacrificing more than four minutes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Combined.
7. You’re always saying “next time” to happy hour with the team because you have homework to complete.
Then, “next time” happened.
And since it’d been a while (roughly three months), things got a little out of hand.
8. Before the start of each shift, there’s a little bit of this while the coffee brews:
9. Followed by at least an hour of this:
10. So when the new nurse on the unit asks how your day is going (poor thing—she didn’t know any better)…
11. …she pretty much just wishes she just hadn’t.
12. Your nurse friends know better than to try and chat you up during lunchtime before a big exam.
13. Or casually ask if you’re still seeing “so and so.”
…
14. But it’s a hospital-wide celebratory moment when you check your email and realize that you scored a “B-” on a test you don’t even remember taking.
You:
Your unit:
The entire waiting room:
Because everybody knows that going back to school while you’re still on the job is a remarkably difficult, yet equally important task you’ve taken on to know and understand more.
And everybody is rootin’ for ya.
