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8 months from my degree

From Nov 15, 2008

I’m becoming very excited.   I know, you need to contain yourself so that I can tell you why!

In eight months from now, I will have earned my BA in Psychology.  Not just psychology, but with a minor in Chemistry.  Yes, because Psychology and Chemistry just go together.

I have a teeny tiny class schedule problem that I am attempting to resolve.  As far as the schedules go, it would be easier for me to continue to work the job I’m doing now if I take Analytical Chemistry this spring, instead of trying to do it this summer.  As far as I can tell, they offer both of my Psychology classes that I have to do at night during the summer, too, so it seems to me that doing Chemistry in the spring and Psychology in the summer is the best way to handle it.   The challenge is that the night lab for Analytical Chemistry is closed already for next spring.  Closed!  And it’s only been a week since the seniors were allowed to register– and I’m pretty sure that underclassmen still aren’t able to register… so apparently there are a lot of seniors trying to get into Analytical.

Worst case scenario is if I can’t take Analytical Chem in the spring, I will take it in the summer.  It just means that either my current job will have to be okay with my semester of working fewer than 40 hours, or I will have to get a new job.  Which is fine, either way.

*sigh*

The problem about only having four classes to finish before I’m done with my BA is that I have to work harder to make my schedule fit.  It would be SO much easier if I didn’t have to work, but as of yet, I have to work.  And I love my job.  I just put school as a bigger priority than work.  Even though school doesn’t pay the bills yet.  One day, though, it will, and it’ll pay the bills beautifully.

I really, really don’t want to extend my graduation until next fall.  I really would rather get my BA, take the GRE, and then move on to completing the pre-reqs so I can take the MCAT.

So, the program that I’m aiming for is at Colorado University, and it’s called a Medical Scientist Training Program.  It’ll take seven years, and when I’m done with it, I’ll have my MD and my PhD.  And I’ll be in a perfect position to do psychiatric research.  For a long time, I thought I’d like to do research in mood disorders.  Yesterday I found the thought of doing research in Autism pretty titillating.  We’ll see.  I have many years before I have to decide.  Anyway, I’m excited about being so close to my BA.  Eight months is nothing.  I’m going to blink, and the holidays will be over, and it’ll be six months.  Ack!  And then…

I just need to be staunch in my decision to tell my job that I have to put school first.  I can work 40 hours a week, but I live across town in Lakewood, and I commute to Aurora for work. School is in Denver.

Would they really want me to leave work at noon on a Wednesday, and at three on Tueday and Thursday?  My normal hours are 8-4:30.  This semester, I’m getting in at 7:30 when I can, leaving at 5:30 when I can on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and leaving work at 3:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  It seems to be working okay.  Except for the days I have the kids, I can’t get in until 8:00, and sometimes I don’t want to stay past 4:30 and… when the lady who stays late normally leaves early unexpectedly, sometimes I can’t stay until 5:00… Anyway, the point is that I’m not sure how much more flexible they’re going to get with me.  The department manager has made it very clear that she will not allow us to work from home.

I was talking with a friend of mine about a research assistant position that will be opening up.  She said it was very flexible, but when I told her the class hours that I might have to take if I’m taking Analytical this Summer, she sounded like that wasn’t really an option.

*sigh*

I don’t want to have to quit my job.  I really love my job, and I’m SO good at it.  It pays me really well, and I love the families.  I could do my job in fewer hours.  I know I could.  I don’t want to go back and forth between work and school in the day, that’s just too much driving. At the same time, I don’t want to delay my graduation when it’s right here at my fingertips as it is.