Trouble adjusting to school

[ArkansasRanger]

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It's been nearly two months (since May 6th) since I quit my full-time job to pursue the premed courses that I needed and could only take as a full-time student. I've since finished one course (gen chem I) and have begun another. I'm working part-time, am still a certified officer, and I'm making ends meet (barely) without having yet had to reach into savings.

That said, I really hate not going to work everyday. I miss making contribution to life. I miss getting to stand around and talk to people; those I knew and new ones I'd never met . I miss the spontaneity of the work place. I miss diversity. I'm having trouble getting past not doing something with my day besides sitting in class and studying numbers with chemistry. I never thought I'd have this issue. I knew I'd get tired of seat time in class, and I knew I'd get tired of physical sciences. I knew I'd hate losing the financial benefits of a full-time job. However, I never knew I'd actually hate not going to work even to the point that I'm thinking I need to give up this fantasy. I can't stand the uncertainty of the process, and I miss doing what I knew how to do and did well.

 

[wagmanager]

It's been nearly two months (since May 6th) since I quit my full-time job to pursue the premed courses that I needed and could only take as a full-time student. I've since finished one course (gen chem I) and have begun another. I'm working part-time, am still a certified officer, and I'm making ends meet (barely) without having yet had to reach into savings.

That said, I really hate not going to work everyday. I miss making contribution to life. I miss getting to stand around and talk to people; those I knew and new ones I'd never met . I miss the spontaneity of the work place. I miss diversity. I'm having trouble getting past not doing something with my day besides sitting in class and studying numbers with chemistry. I never thought I'd have this issue. I knew I'd get tired of seat time in class, and I knew I'd get tired of physical sciences. I knew I'd hate losing the financial benefits of a full-time job. However, I never knew I'd actually hate not going to work even to the point that I'm thinking I need to give up this fantasy. I can't stand the uncertainty of the process, and I miss doing what I knew how to do and did well.

Ah! the grass is always greener. do you have the option or working part time at least. We will eventually be doing more studying all day than this. try not to think of the journey and more of the destination.Don't give up , at least try to go a bit further before you decide you don't want to do it.Maybe try to interact more with classmates. I'm sorry you feel the way you do but fwiw I wish i could quit but have to work full time

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Ah! the grass is always greener. do you have the option or working part time at least. We will eventually be doing more studying all day than this. try not to think of the journey and more of the destination.Don't give up , at least try to go a bit further before you decide you don't want to do it.Maybe try to interact more with classmates. I'm sorry you feel the way you do but fwiw I wish i could quit but have to work full time

Yeah, I'm still working part-time in the same field (law enforcement). As far as interacting with classmates after class....the 19 year olds. Eh, I'll pass, lol.

 

[MexicanDr]

Hey bro, how old are you if you dont mind me asking?

I took a semester off from full time job and did some volunteering at a free clinic and some teaching. It comes with the variety of things that a full time job/responsibility give you...

Maybe you can do something like this?

By the way, which classes do you need?

I thought you were between the wall PA and MD/DO like me....

 

[sgtbrushes]

I'm pretty much experiencing the complete opposite. I am a first-time college student, not a BA/BS returning for my pre-reqs. I spent time in the military, leading an incredibly structured lifestyle, deploying to overseas, etc. I am now a full-time college student... and it is freakin' awesome!!

Yes, I have to put in many hours a day studying, especially with the courseload I'm taking in the summer. But not having the whole 9-5 thing... is just awesome. What's that? I have a gap in the middle of my day between classes? Oh, I'll go to the mall. (This is not something that I have done in the middle of a weekday since I was in high school).

And yes, many of your classmates are going to be... young. But even some of the young ones are decent human beings. I've been a full-time student for about 6 months now, and I've bonded with a few "traditional" college students. I've also ran into other non-trads who want to become physicians. The dialogue and spontaneity you miss from your job is something I didn't have in my job, but I have now.

I don't meant to sound like I'm trying to gloat. Are you at a large school? If so, see if there is a chapter of Premed AMSA or some sort of pre-med group there. If there is, I promise you there'll be other older students with whom you can identify.

Disclaimer: I am married, so I have a wonderful support system. If you are single, I would definitely suggest finding a way to meet other non-trad pre-meds. They can be your support system, and they have other life experiences like you do.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I'm pretty much experiencing the complete opposite. I am a first-time college student, not a BA/BS returning for my pre-reqs. I spent time in the military, leading an incredibly structured lifestyle, deploying to overseas, etc. I am now a full-time college student... and it is freakin' awesome!!

Yes, I have to put in many hours a day studying, especially with the courseload I'm taking in the summer. But not having the whole 9-5 thing... is just awesome. What's that? I have a gap in the middle of my day between classes? Oh, I'll go to the mall. (This is not something that I have done in the middle of a weekday since I was in high school).

And yes, many of your classmates are going to be... young. But even some of the young ones are decent human beings. I've been a full-time student for about 6 months now, and I've bonded with a few "traditional" college students. I've also ran into other non-trads who want to become physicians. The dialogue and spontaneity you miss from your job is something I didn't have in my job, but I have now.

I don't meant to sound like I'm trying to gloat. Are you at a large school? If so, see if there is a chapter of Premed AMSA or some sort of pre-med group there. If there is, I promise you there'll be other older students with whom you can identify.

Disclaimer: I am married, so I have a wonderful support system. If you are single, I would definitely suggest finding a way to meet other non-trad pre-meds. They can be your support system, and they have other life experiences like you do.

Yeah, I'm single. The old girl and I split about two months before I quit and moved. That's part of the problem I think. Most of the girls I run into, that aren't criminals, are a decade younger, and I miss having somebody to talk to and do stuff with in my limited free time.

 

[MexicanDr]

Yeah, I'm single. The old girl and I split about two months before I quit and moved. That's part of the problem I think. Most of the girls I run into, that aren't criminals, are a decade younger, and I miss having somebody to talk to and do stuff with in my limited free time.

How old are you bro? As long as they are 18 and a mature mind, you are set to go. Dont get discourage by age, some people are pretty mature at a young age.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Hey bro, how old are you if you dont mind me asking?

I took a semester off from full time job and did some volunteering at a free clinic and some teaching. It comes with the variety of things that a full time job/responsibility give you...

Maybe you can do something like this?

By the way, which classes do you need?

I thought you were between the wall PA and MD/DO like me....

I'm not really between any walls. It's more or less a reach for the stars, settle for moon, if that's the only viable option, kind of thing. I'm not sure how taking some time off from work would help since I quit work to become a student again. I'm only 28 (finished college at 21), but I was pretty entrenched into the work place. I more or less identified myself with my job. I was a supervisor, the go to guy, the top shot, blah blah blah. Now, I'm just average Joe in a class of former AP teens, lol. Once I finish the course I'm in I need organic I / II and physics I / II. I've taken gen. chem. but I just retook part I, and I'm taking part II now. Electively, I'll probably take genetics and cell biology although I've got around 30 hours of biology courses already on my transcript.

 

[MidnightSun32]

I had this type of problem when I quit my job to go back to school full time. I saved up money and thought it'd be a piece of cake. I missed the stress and pressure of work. It sounds dumb, but true. I have been in retail management for eight years and I loved the pressure, promotions even though I'm young and "new" to retail, huge presentations, teaching other managers, conference calls, managing 80 people, developing those people, getting to know them, and the competition between stores. The list could really go on.... I missed it all really bad. I started volunteering more and getting involved in school, but I cracked and went back to work. I did it mainly for the money, but also because I missed what I did in some aspects. Maybe you could find some type of interesting volunteer work to fill your time? Maybe some research? I think I am going to try and get out of management and maybe work part time at my school. I've never worked part time so that'll be different and I definitely won't have the same type of responsibility, so we'll see how that goes. Have you thought about picking up a few hours of work at school (bookstore, tutoring)?

The grass is definitely greener on the other side for me. I love my work, but I would love it in a different setting if that makes any sense. I just don't really like the retail aspect of it I suppose. It's not where I want to be in the end, hence me being on this forum lol.

It was also hard going back because even though I'm really not that much older than some of the students, I'm more mature and don't understand some of the other students and their drama. I have spent so many years making sure that people I've worked with didn't know my age because I managed a lot of people that were much older than me to trying to act like a twenty something year old at school haha. It's weird and some people just don't get it.

So I kind of wrote a book, I'm a babbler at night, but you aren't alone! I hope it gets a bit better for you and you can figure out a few things to fill that void. 🙂

 

[MexicanDr]

I'm not really between any walls. It's more or less a reach for the stars, settle for moon, if that's the only viable option, kind of thing. I'm not sure how taking some time off from work would help since I quit work to become a student again. I'm only 28 (finished college at 21), but I was pretty entrenched into the work place. I more or less identified myself with my job. I was a supervisor, the go to guy, the top shot, blah blah blah. Now, I'm just average Joe in a class of former AP teens, lol. Once I finish the course I'm in I need organic I / II and physics I / II. I've taken gen. chem. but I just retook part I, and I'm taking part II now. Electively, I'll probably take genetics and cell biology although I've got around 30 hours of biology courses already on my transcript.

Awesome bro, keep it up!

Are you taking chem 2 as a summer class? how is that going?

 

[NTF]

I feel your pain. But unfortunately the disconnect will only get worse during M1/M2. I think the key is to make time for things that keep you connected. I felt better last year when I started volunteering at the student clinic and at the children's hospital.

But burying your head in the books is part of the territory for pre-med and med. Just gotta find a way to break it up and make time for things you enjoy.

 

[EdLongshanks]

Yeah, I'm single. The old girl and I split about two months before I quit and moved. That's part of the problem I think. Most of the girls I run into, that aren't criminals, are a decade younger, and I miss having somebody to talk to and do stuff with in my limited free time.

I'm sorry. You may be underestimating the amount of stress that you just finished experiencing. I know it's a generalization, but a lot of cops have a "I'm to tough to be hurt" attitude and so spend a long time in denial of emotional wounds.

I find myself saying this to people a lot lately. Life will get better. The sun will come up one day and the grass will be green again and the birds will sing. It just doesn't seem that way right now.

 

[HenriMatisse]

I believe I saw you posting in the EMT/MEDIC thread, if not disregard what I'm saying.

Why don't you pick up a full time gig as a medic or EMT? I work for a private company and I have two 16's and one 8 a week. I have plenty of down time while I'm still on the clock to study and I get experience with PTs when I am busy at work. I generally spend 2 hours napping and 2 or 3 studying on an average 16 hour shift. I'm taking 2 intensive classes at a time and haven't run into any insurmountable time issues. One of my partners is leaving in 3 months when he gets his medic license and I'm trying to butter him up so that he'll bequeath his 24 hour sunday shift to me.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I believe I saw you posting in the EMT/MEDIC thread, if not disregard what I'm saying.

Why don't you pick up a full time gig as a medic or EMT? I work for a private company and I have two 16's and one 8 a week. I have plenty of down time while I'm still on the clock to study and I get experience with PTs when I am busy at work. I generally spend 2 hours napping and 2 or 3 studying on an average 16 hour shift. I'm taking 2 intensive classes at a time and haven't run into any insurmountable time issues. One of my partners is leaving in 3 months when he gets his medic license and I'm trying to butter him up so that he'll bequeath his 24 hour sunday shift to me.

While new at my last station assignment, I wasn't afforded the opportunity to take off and attend the requisite paramedic refresher thus my medic credentials lapsed. I'm still certified as an EMT, but alas I'm no longer the blue and gold or whatever color the NR patch is these days. To recertify, I need to take the refresher (no biggie), take ACLS (no biggie), retake the National Registry written exam (not much of a biggie), and retake the skills test which is the killer. I have just no where to practice the stuff. However, I've been thinking of trying to catch an EMT shift at the local ambulance service. I just haven't broached the subject yet. I'm working part-time with the P.D. here, and hopefully that'll result in the connections to pick up some EMT shifts this fall and spring. It'll give me extra money and it'll give me some more clinical time along with the possibility of practicing my skills so I can retake the NR exam.

I got a flyer in the mail today recruiting medics to the northwest Arkansas area which I ultimately intend to move to. The salary was amazing for EMS and Arkansas in general. If I'd still been a medic, I think I would've applied and worked this other stuff out later.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I'm sorry. You may be underestimating the amount of stress that you just finished experiencing. I know it's a generalization, but a lot of cops have a "I'm to tough to be hurt" attitude and so spend a long time in denial of emotional wounds.

I find myself saying this to people a lot lately. Life will get better. The sun will come up one day and the grass will be green again and the birds will sing. It just doesn't seem that way right now.

She kept telling me that my emotional reaction to things wasn't normal, lol.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I feel your pain. But unfortunately the disconnect will only get worse during M1/M2. I think the key is to make time for things that keep you connected. I felt better last year when I started volunteering at the student clinic and at the children's hospital.

But burying your head in the books is part of the territory for pre-med and med. Just gotta find a way to break it up and make time for things you enjoy.

I think the med students have a sense of relief. They've made it that far. The likelihood of them flunking out isn't great, and they're making realistic progress toward achieving a goal.

As a premed, which you know, you have this constant "what if I don't get in" idea that plagues you. Throw that into taking a series of courses you would not otherwise electively take (chem, phys, etc), and premed makes for a depressing time, I think.

When you trade one life for another it's ok, but when you trade one life for a statistically small chance at another it's not really ok.

 

[CookDeRosa]

I can't stand the uncertainty of the process, and I miss doing what I knew how to do and did well.

Me too.

Maybe it's just me, but I miss that in my prior life. Once upon a time, I actually knew what the hell I was doing. I miss going from a leader in my field to an idiot behind a desk. *and taking sciences makes me feel like an idiot. I tell myself that it took 20 years to know what I know, and that a year of introductory science isn't enough to know anything, so I'm being patient. With every class, every new subject, I see a universe BEHIND it of things left to learn. I now know how little I know.

The uncertainty also is hard. I still don't tell anyone I'm "going" to be a doctor, because the statistics actually are heavier against me than for me at this point. So, I say I'm "trying" which is a hard word to utter if you're a goal-oriented type of person. (I am, and you probably are too). All ego aside, I have always been a hard worker and a good student IN MY FIELD, but this is another ball game. Everyone is determined, everyone is smart, and everyone is good. It's scary.

 

[katiemaude]

Clearly, a lot of us non-trads understand how you're feeling!

I'm 32, been a full-time student for almost a year and I stopped working full-time a little before that (not by choice, by layoff). I made the work-to-school transition after I made the work-to-nothing transition and believe me, school is a lot better than nothing. So that tempered the change for me.

But I also find the long hours of studying more than a little tedious. I struggled to connect with my younger classmates at first. I found it hard to adjust to praise in the form of A's and occasional "keep it up" conversations during office hours instead of raises and more responsibility.

Volunteering at a hospital in a fast-paced setting with a lot of other adults helped. So did giving the 18-year-olds a chance. Some of them are incredibly mature and my best study partners. (Speaking of study partners, even if you've never studied well in a group before, give it a shot with these science classes. It can really do wonders for your grades.)

I did have a 19-year-old classmate ask me out and while I found it flattering, I turned him down. 😛 Maybe it's because I can't reconcile the idea of being a cougar. Or a puma, LOL. I can't deal with the concept that my "date" can't get into a bar without a fake ID.