How hard is it to juggle work & night classes?

Nephew

Guys, I am thinking of taking the plunge into doing a part time night course in DIT come September. Some of the courses I am looking are 3 nights a week over 3 or 4 years. How hard do most of you find juggling work, attending college at night, time for study and a life outside of it all? At the moment I work some pretty lengthy hours during the week so I don't know if I'd be able to motivate myself to go in after a day of work, unless I change jobs.

Moonbeam

Do you have a commute too?

It is hard and life generally goes out the window,but if you are motivated and can mange to only have a life during the summers then it is fine.

Personally I find it hard.

Trampas

Some of the course let your work at your own pace. Do 1 or 2 nights a week.

I thought 2 was enough but some do 3 and get it over with asap.

Each to their own as they say

Cathmandooo

I did a short diploma course there in DIT before Christmas, just 3 hours of lectures a week and I found it hard near the end!! I work 9-5.30 monday to friday and commute by train. I wasnt able to do any of my study or course work in work or on the train and when the assignment was due in I didnt have much of a life for a few weeks. I dont know how people do it. My brother is doing a degree at night and has 3 nights of classes, he's excellent at soaking in what a lecturer says though whereas I'd need to read and re-read through all the work before knowing it. It all depends on what type you are!

Copper

I studied for a diploma and a cert in DIT last year, so I was in four nights a week. I also work fairly long hours with overtime so between work and school it was around 80-90 hours a week + assignments (maybe 8 hours every 2 weeks).

Basically it was alright for a few weeks in a row but I found it impossible to sustain which is why I ended up missing about 3/4 of the lectures. That meant I had to take time off work to catch up for the exams, which meant I ended up with no holidays. But it was still worth it. After you've done night school you value your time more, I can't sit in the house for more than ten minutes without worrying about what I could be doing with the time.

Stoner

Nephew,

Why didn't you just ask me? I would have told you, I feel a little sad that you felt you had to seek the council of strangers over and above me!!!.

Anyway in my opinion/experience

Full time rocks

Fulltime and part time at the same time is difficult, it's hard to concentrate on both , planning so avoid double exam time is the way to go.

Working and Part time is very difficult, your work can suffer, but it greatly depends on your job. If you have a handy number or even if you have nothing to do in work (as I had once in HP waiting for things to break) in this case part time study is great, it builds in that idea of going somewhere in your life and can fill your day, and you can look busy too as you study.
If on the other hand your job is mad (and with your current working hours I'd class that as a bit mad) part time study is difficult added to the fact that you do a semi physical job, i think that part time would not suit your current situation IMHO.
I'm sure you've heard before that going to college and working part time is completly different to working and going to college part time.
Selection of a part time cousre is as much about your job as it is about the course.

working and distance education works, throw in the odd Saturday class so you can get some e mails // organise a work group that can meet at a time that suits all, and you are away, even without the classes it works, but hooking up over skype or something is great

Best of luck with it, i hope it works out weel for you.

BostonB

I tried a distance/part time course. But it was more like a full time course with the level of work they expected us to go through. It would have been fine, just very hard if I was just juggling work and the course. But I ended up dropping out after two attempts. First time I got sick and fell to far behind. 2nd time stuff happened at home and again I fell to far behind. If I was trying again I'd do something like Open University course where you can do it piecemeal and its more organised.

I would be wary of doing it if you have other distractions like long work hours, demanding job or distractions at home. Part time courses take a lot of time. Also it can conflict with work too. I had problems with finding out exam timetables last minute and having juggling leave for study and exams.

Nephew

Stoner wrote:

Nephew,

Why didn't you just ask me? I would have told you, I feel a little sad that you felt you had to seek the council of strangers over and above me!!!.

Your wife intimidates me tbh.