This has been heavy on my head as I watch the calendar slip away toward August.
The first day of orientation for the PhD program is August 5. Orientation for the research assistant job is August 8. We leave for London, a trip long promised, and many times delayed, on August 11. The timing is not ideal but is not to be helped.
I will be taking 3 courses this fall semester of 16 weeks. I am used to taking 2 in a condensed session of 6 weeks. If I remember correctly, all it takes is organization.
And last week I got an email from the university inviting me to apply for faculty loan repayment plan. This is a plan that will pay the student loans of the program, if I teach at an accredited college after for 4 years after graduation. As this is what I was planning on, I would be silly not to apply for it. And utilize it. There is a book allowance attached to it. The application is due July 31. I think that there would be value beyond the money for the program. I will be making contacts that may be useful after school. And I know I can continue with clinical work at the same time, lots of people continue their day jobs. It isn’t as if I have been working the equivalent of 2 jobs for 20 years, minus the idyll of the last 7 months.
Less than 4 weeks to go.
I believe I have to go to the actual university, 73 miles away, once a week, sometimes twice. That is not so bad, especially now that gas prices are dropping. I’ve just been spoiled by living 3 miles from work. My mom used to commute 50 miles to San Francisco and other have it worse. Especially when I take into account they drive that distance every day. I will be going against traffic, on a three lane interstate the entire way. I haven’t been to a brick and mortar school in 20+ years. That reminds me, I need to buy a parking pass.
I have to begin thinking about a thesis and what I will be using my classes to build toward. I want to do something operating room based. I also would like to do something budget based. And to that end my first elective that I have chosen is about aging with money, where to get it and how to
I have to remind myself to enjoy the next 4 weeks and relax some. Because after August 5th, the real work begins.
Nope, I shan’t be nervous. I love school. And I have been doing online seminars and classes the entire time I’ve been the call nurse. Just to keep my hand in.
On to the next challenge.
Dispatches from the Evening Shift 