Back to School for GrownUps

Step 1 was Take Stock .

Now that you’ve done that, you have a list, right?  Priorities, Challenges and Resources….

So …. now it is time to EVALUATE.

Which one of the 3 lists is the longest? Bet it is not Resources - or else, you wouldn’t be searching the net looking for ways to manage juggling school, family & finances. So let’s start there:

• Look closely at your list…. have you included the services that your school offers to help students who are struggling, one way or another? Every place I have been involved with has support services of some kind - for people with disabilities, students who need counselling/tutoring/study help, and even some financial assistance. They usually all have housing centres and job banks, also. What supports are available at your particular institution?
• If you don’t know, start with the counselling centre, whatever that’s called where you are. They can help you find additional supports, honest… and that is what they are there for. Those counsellor types are often also very good at helping one do the kind of work we’re trying to do here - and they will have a lot more to work on if you sit down and talk to ‘em than I do.

• Next - did you include your professors as resources? At LEAST one of them? Most people that teach do so because they LIKE teaching - and they want their students to succeed. (Yeah, I know, there are a few that aren’t like that - but seriously - if you don’t have even one prof’s name on your list of potential resources, that is NOT a good sign). Talking to a prof - sooner rather than later - can go a long way toward helping you to succeed at school …and NOT just with school issues.
• Connecting with profs - and letting them know when you’re finding things tough (preferably without whining) - can not only help in the short term…  but it goes a long way to help you actually build relationships with them …and that, my friends, can go a VERY long way when it comes time to ask for reference letters for further programs or for jobs.

• Okay … onward… next up - how many of your fellow students made it onto your resource list? Why not? They are probably one of the best possible resources you could have. They know what you are dealing with (at least at the school end of things), they know what its like, and they are THERE.
• Making connections with fellow students makes a whole lot of sense - you need someone that will pick up handouts or let you borrow their notes, and so on on days when you can’t make it to class. And most everybody else needs exactly the same sort of thing… so you do it for them, they do it for you. Usually it will work out to be reasonably fair - and if it doesn’t, and you need their help way more than they need yours, treat them to a coffee here & there: it will be fine.
• I know that it can be hard to make connections with fellow students sometimes - especially if there aren’t all that many mature students in the group - but make the effort anyway….really! It is well worth the time & energy.

• Family & friends that are willing to help? I hope you’ve got some of those on your list already ….if not, you’ll want to be workin’ on that, also. And if so, have another look at them and consider whether any of those already there could do something to help with whatever’s dragging you down right now.
• You do NOT have to do everything all perfectly, y’know. And you also don’t have to do it all by yourself. Ask for help - the worst that can happen is that - whoever- will say no. And if that happens, so what? You will have lost NOTHING.
• One good friend that you can stress and whine and complain and …did I mention whine?…. to can make all the difference sometimes, also (thanks for that, Stephanie )

• Another resource that should be on your list is TIME. If all else fails, and you just can’t find a way to do everything that needs doing when you think it needs doing…. s’okay….  one thing about those schools, y’know… they tend to stick around awhile.
• Which is not to say that you should give up, drop out, and forget about the whole school thing…. that is NOT advice I tend to ever give anyone …. but if all else fails and it just can’t work RIGHT NOW, that does not mean it can’t ever work. Sometimes, you have got to set priorities…. and that, of course, is where we’ll head next time.

• And in the meantime, here’s some homework for you - yeah, I know.. like you need more o’ that

Go back to your Resources list and add at least 3 places/people/things you could try asking for support/help.

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