Hello everyone! I know I have been MIA big time. I apologize. I mentioned on my other blog website that I was going back to grad school and trying to get mentally prepared for that transition. If you didn’t know, I’ll just give you a brief backstory: I graduated with my B.A. in May of 2019 and, two days later I started my graduate program. I was also working at my university as a graduate assistant. December of 2019 was my last semester of grad school because I decided I needed a break from college and a chance of figure out what I truly was interested in doing with my career. I spent the year of 2020 researching different programs and disregarding them for one reason or another.

In March of this year, I took a job at an elementary school–one thing led to another, and I eventually enrolled in a new graduate program that aligns with my current position.

I haven’t had much time for anything, aside from working, studying, collaborating with my cohort, rinse and repeat. I want to start prioritizing my life outside of school and work. If I’m going to graduate this time, I need to have a better balance; I’ve taken certain steps to ensure I make time for my career, but also time for things that I enjoy, such as blogging.

Going back to graduate school wasn’t an easy decision to make. I spent a year and a half away from college, thinking about my decision and what would be best for me.

When I first started in August, I immediately had regrets and questioned if I had made the right decision. Almost from the start, everything started going wrong and I became extremely overwhelmed with life in general. I’m working full-time and I’m in graduate school full-time, and although I knew it wouldn’t be a cake walk, I didn’t fully realize just how difficult it would be to manage my time, my priorities, my personal life.

I took some time off from work to reevaluate and plan a better strategy. I started opening up to members of my cohort and discovered that I wasn’t the only one feeling completely overwhelmed–and that made me feel loads better.

Like I mentioned earlier, I have taken some steps to find a happy medium. I started slowly managing my stress levels in various ways. I also decided to go back to counseling, so I’m not dealing with certain issues alone. When I need to sleep, I sleep. When I need time off from homework, I take my time off from homework.

I realized that my bigger goal of gaining my master’s degree is well worth the challenges I will endure. I love my job and that degree will help elevate me in my field as an educator.

That’s it for now! I do have some ideas for new blogs, but if there’s anything in particular you’d like to know, please inform me in the comments section!