College is making me tired...

**Kenyth** · 10-16-2008, 10:06 AM

Well, the first two classes are done. In the middle of a third, and starting a fourth in a week. Only four and a half classes to go until the end of the semester! I suppose it's not the best sign that I'm tired already, eh? I love the fact that I'll be done by the beginning of 2010 taking night classes, but the pace is relentless! I'm reading books on lunch hours, breaks, while visiting relatives, etc. I'm always writing a research paper of some sort or another. My favorite place to write them is on the back porch with a laptop, while smoking a cigar and having coffee. I spend 8 hours a week in classes and probably 8-10 hours a week on study and homework.

It's paying off. I got an "A" in the first two classes. Now that I've set a precedent, I've got to keep it up, right?

The thing that bugs me is that I'm making sure to get 6-7 hours of sleep a night, but I'm still tired. I guess old age is sapping my vitality, eh? Coffee is starting to lose it's effectiveness.

I don't want to complain. I'm damn lucky to have the opportunity to go at my age, and between my GI bill and employer tuition reimbursement, it's pretty much completely free! Many people would give their right arm for an opportunity like this. So, I'm happy, but still tired.

**ashauler** · 10-16-2008, 10:37 AM

Old dogs can learn new tricks eh?

All kidding aside.....I would not have near enough discipline to do what you are doing. Kudos to you and your dedication. Congratulations on the A's my man!! I'm sure they won't be the last ones.

**logan37** · 10-16-2008, 10:45 AM

Awesome Ken and good for you. Keep up the good work.

Maybe if you get all A's, you'll recieve a graduation gift...

I do feel your pain. I just finished(well almost finished, 2 classes short) my second degree this past summer. I'm 28 and it was tough going back to school at 27. I did it for a career change because my last job sucked and I have always dabbled with graphic design for fun. Are you in the same boat, with a career change? If so, what career are you working towards?

Best of luck and keep at it. It will all pay off in the end.

**basil** · 10-16-2008, 11:22 AM

Good for you - getting the degree and not being intimidated by the "traditional student" thinking that says your too old. I did mine like you, in my late 30s and early forties, at two classes at a time, and sometimes it was just insane. On the coffee thing, you're right - it's probably not having the same effect. I know, "coffee and its effects", right? WTF some might say, but when you've strapped yourself into the commitment and mentality required to finish something like this, these little things can be BFDs sometimes. Back to the coffee - you in all probability have reached (and have gone past) a point of diminishing return. When I would do this (and still do occasionally) I'm always amazed at how rested I feel about two weeks after just saying no to caffeine. The kicker is, is that if/when you have your next cup, it will be everything you had dreamed it would be and more. Seriously I would grab quads at S'bux and when I would go back to that after a coffee hiatus, holy shit.

Anyways, hang in there and best of luck!

**mrtr33** · 10-16-2008, 11:57 AM

Congrats.

I finished my second degree last May. The discipline was tough to begin with, but after a while, your driving force is the motivation to finish what you've started.

Good luck.

**Kenyth** · 10-16-2008, 01:43 PM

Thanks guys! It will feel really good getting that degree in 2010. My lack of a four year degree has been a sore spot my whole career. I'm not changing careers. I just need it to be able to move up. It also makes me much more competetive. Not a bad thing in our current economic climate.

**ggiese** · 10-16-2008, 04:20 PM

I felt your pain, bruddah - I did the working a full time job (shift work), raising 4 kids and going to Engineering school in the evening and on weekends (summer included). Did it a few classes at a time, but I was a total fool for listening to some peers that suggested I do Calculus III and Differential Equations at the same time...

Literally was 3-4 hours of sleep a night, with work and school taking up the rest of the time.

Good luck to you - it will be over before you know it and it's a character builder!!!

...now I'm seriously thinking about taking advantage of the company's Tuition Reimbursement program to do the Business Admin BA degree...

**Lopaka** · 10-16-2008, 06:11 PM

Brother...feel your pain now. I'm talking two classes that are 5 hours each!

Also, working full time as an instructor myself. However, the military is paying for my degree so I'm not complaining.

Like everyone else is saying, I just keep thinking, it will be all worth it when I get my degree done!

Lopaka

(P.S. Microeconomics SUCKS!)

**ggiese** · 10-16-2008, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by Lopaka

Brother...feel your pain now. I'm talking two classes that are 5 hours each!

Also, working full time as an instructor myself. However, the military is paying for my degree so I'm not complaining.

Like everyone else is saying, I just keep thinking, it will be all worth it when I get my degree done!

Lopaka

(P.S. Microeconomics SUCKS!)

Macro is even worse - and have fun in accounting...

**Kenyth** · 10-17-2008, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by ggiese

I felt your pain, bruddah - I did the working a full time job (shift work), raising 4 kids and going to Engineering school in the evening and on weekends (summer included). Did it a few classes at a time, but I was a total fool for listening to some peers that suggested I do Calculus III and Differential Equations at the same time...

Literally was 3-4 hours of sleep a night, with work and school taking up the rest of the time.

Good luck to you - it will be over before you know it and it's a character builder!!!

...now I'm seriously thinking about taking advantage of the company's Tuition Reimbursement program to do the Business Admin BA degree...

Holy crap!

That's pure masochism! I hear nothing but nightmares from people who get engineering degrees. Though my management degree doesn't require it, I'm thinking about taking some math as electives. It's not that I need it. I just never had to go further than the Algebra and Statistics classes. If I want to get a Masters in Management of Information Technology after this, I'll probably need some more math experience.

One thing that's always irritated me about general education requirements are the six credit hours of Arts. I mean really, what possible career advantage can fine arts give me? I guess it's good for being well rounded socially.

**Cabaiguan Juan** · 10-17-2008, 09:07 AM

Aww cry me a river! College is the best time of your life...oh, your going back for a degree? Yeah, well then i can sympathize. Congradulations on selfishly giving up all of your remaining free-time for the betterment of your family and yourself. My wife is almost done after 3 years of night school for her mba, and it has shown me that i do not have the desire to spend those hours, as much as i admire her for her sacrafice.

**ggiese** · 10-17-2008, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Kenyth

Holy crap!

That's pure masochism! I hear nothing but nightmares from people who get engineering degrees. Though my management degree doesn't require it, I'm thinking about taking some math as electives. It's not that I need it. I just never had to go further than the Algebra and Statistics classes. If I want to get a Masters in Management of Information Technology after this, I'll probably need some more math experience.

One thing that's always irritated me about general education requirements are the six credit hours of Arts. I mean really, what possible career advantage can fine arts give me? I guess it's good for being well rounded socially.

Nothing for you - but it keeps a starving artist from starving if they're teaching instead...

**ggiese** · 10-17-2008, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by Cabaiguan Juan

Aww cry me a river! College is the best time of your life...oh, your going back for a degree? Yeah, well then i can sympathize. Congradulations on selfishly giving up all of your remaining free-time for the betterment of your family and yourself. My wife is almost done after 3 years of night school for her mba, and it has shown me that i do not have the desire to spend those hours, as much as i admire her for her sacrafice.

What was your degree in?

**WOXOF** · 10-17-2008, 11:20 AM

Hang in there man. I finished up my undergrad stuff while working nights. It sucks but is worth it. I'll be starting on my master's degree in the sping term, now with two kids and a real jobs to manage at the same time.

Originally Posted by ggiese

I felt your pain, bruddah - I did the working a full time job (shift work), raising 4 kids and going to Engineering school in the evening and on weekends (summer included). Did it a few classes at a time, but I was a total fool for listening to some peers that suggested I do Calculus III and Differential Equations at the same time...

Literally was 3-4 hours of sleep a night, with work and school taking up the rest of the time.

Good luck to you - it will be over before you know it and it's a character builder!!!

...now I'm seriously thinking about taking advantage of the company's Tuition Reimbursement program to do the Business Admin BA degree...

That right there is why I changed my major from EE.

**BigMacFU** · 10-17-2008, 11:38 AM

Congrats Kenyth, keep on plugging away. As a professor, I always like to see hard working students who know the value of what they're doing.

**mrtr33** · 10-17-2008, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Kenyth

One thing that's always irritated me about general education requirements are the six credit hours of Arts. I mean really, what possible career advantage can fine arts give me? I guess it's good for being well rounded socially.

I felt the same way. But I also studied the crap out of my college catalogue. They offered classes as general ed that were more than your normal, boring education requirements. So I ended up taking History of the Theater, and History of the English Language. Much more exciting than Introduction to Poetry.

Calculus II kicked my tail. Never even considered III. I have always wanted to take Linear Algebra, and there was a class called Discrete Mathematics that I really enjoyed.

**Kenyth** · 10-17-2008, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by mrtr33

I felt the same way. But I also studied the crap out of my college catalogue. They offered classes as general ed that were more than your normal, boring education requirements. So I ended up taking History of the Theater, and History of the English Language. Much more exciting than Introduction to Poetry.

Calculus II kicked my tail. Never even considered III. I have always wanted to take Linear Algebra, and there was a class called Discrete Mathematics that I really enjoyed.

It doesn't help that the sole fine arts subject I'm interested in (classical music), isn't offerred. There's one general music class that comes available on my schedule infrequently. I'm going to be forced to take ceramics shop and perspectives in Fine Art, I can see it coming.

**ashauler** · 10-17-2008, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Kenyth

It doesn't help that the sole fine arts subject I'm interested in (classical music), isn't offerred. There's one general music class that comes available on my schedule infrequently. I'm going to be forced to take ceramics shop and perspectives in Fine Art, I can see it coming.

Ceramic arts.......I'm thinking honkin' ass cigar ashtrays.

**mrtr33** · 10-17-2008, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by ashauler

Ceramic arts.......I'm thinking honkin' ass cigar ashtrays.

I took a couple pottery classes in college, and actually enjoyed throwing clay on a wheel. We had several different kilns to fire our work in, and they fired them quite frequently, including a wood kiln fired twice annually. Wood kiln firings were like giant hippie parties.

There were always kids trying to make some crazy bong in ceramics class without the instructor finding out, but because he was an ex-pothead, it never worked.