Hi everyone! I just wanted to discuss my grad school situation. I start in about a month and I cannot believe it’s getting so close.
I’m really worried I chose the wrong school due to my commute. Just to put it into context, without traffic I will be driving 1 hr and 30 minutes. I’m also a relatively new driver, so the idea of being able to commute confidently very soon puts a lot of pressure on me. From what I know, we will be in person for classes 2 times a week, but I don’t know of my clinical schedule until a week before classes begin. I also learned recently that my first week I should expect to be there for 5 days in a row and that makes me nervous commute wise.
The reason why I didn’t choose a closer school is because well, there was no closer school. Each program required me to drive 45-1 hr 30 min. So I chose the program with the lightest schedule and also medical clinical opportunities which really excites me. Programs that are 15-30 minutes away from me would have also put me into crippling debt which I tried to avoid by going to this program.
I can’t exactly afford rent and I also didn’t want to put myself into more debt by dorming at graduate housing. I’m also really nervous about telling my employer that hey I actually don’t want to work weekends anymore for my sanity and honestly I don’t even know my schedule yet, and letting them down. But I need money for gas, food, etc.
I’m just worried I bit off way more than I can chew and being a new driver really doesn’t help. I wanted to be really involved in my grad program but I don’t even see myself being able to sustain a NSSLHA position if I can barely even get myself to class.
I guess i’d just like some words of encouragement because I am so stressed.