Hello! My name is April Matteson. I am a working mom, wife, and student. In fact, I work at the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC) as a Resolution Specialist. And I am here to tell you that it is possible to balance work, family, and school! I am evidence of that, and you can do it, too.
I have some advice for you on how to make that happen, but first, I’d like to tell you a little bit of my story.
I started my bachelor’s degree in 2010 right before the birth of our sixth child. My husband, who was active-duty Navy at the time, was on shore duty, and we both chose to go back to school. A year into it, I had to take a break. I had just had a baby and already had twin toddlers and three other children, and it was too much to juggle.
After a year off, however, I forced myself to return. It had to happen right then. I knew if I waited, I would probably never go back. Was I ready? Probably not. But I told my husband, children, and friends that it was a priority.
I worked on course work when they were asleep and/or at school. When I was working, I did schoolwork on my breaks and lunches. I went to work an hour earlier just to have some quiet time to focus on my studies. I would sometimes stay late and sit in the lunchroom to get it done.
In 2015, I graduated with my bachelor’s degree. I began working for UAGC in 2015 and took advantage of my educational benefits to earn my master’s degree. During this time, my husband was deployed, we still had our six children, and I was working 40 hours a week. Despite all that, I graduated in 2017 with my master’s degree.
How did I do it? I doubled up on courses. Time management was key during this time. I kept a calendar with school activities and workdays and wrote out time for myself to finish my master’s degree. I also reached out to my Academic Advisor for advice. They were a lifesaver during this time! My coworkers were amazing and would leave me words of encouragement.
I recently finished my Doctorate in Psychology. My goal was to complete it in five years max! I finished in seven. Although it took me longer than I had hoped, determination kept me going. The Academic Advisors encouraged me to keep going. Using Academic Resolution when I needed help made me feel my voice was heard when I was struggling. The support from University staff was amazing, and the journey was just that — a journey.
5 Things to Know About Balancing Life, Work and School
There are five things I want you to take away from this:
- You can do it! Anyone can do it! Know your why. Why are you doing this?
- Use your Academic Advisors! They are there for you. They are your words of encouragement and your support, and they are there to guide you each step of the way.
- Family. Make sure your family is with you, supporting you, pushing you, encouraging you. If you do not have support from family, find a friend. Go to UAGC Connect to network and find support from your peers. They are on the same journey as you.
- Time management. Know your time constraints. Make a schedule. Put things off that can wait till tomorrow. Find those five minutes here and there to just read and prep, outline, take notes of what you need to work on, what you read, or anything else to help you succeed.
- Take each day as it comes! Tomorrow is never promised, but that does not mean you put everything on your plate at once and try to complete it in 24 hours. Do what you can do each day. If you feel yourself falling back, reach out to your instructor. They are there to help you succeed and be successful in your courses.
I wish you the best in all your endeavors. Just know that you, too, can be successful!
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Dr. April Matteson is a UAGC student, UAGC employee, and a spouse of a retired Navy Chief.