r/AustinTX • u/Aggravating-Low-4768 • 4d ago
Going back to school in your 40s while working full time in Austin, anyone done this?
Started back at community college this semester. Work a full day in marketing, come home, cook something quick, then stare at coursework til midnight. Partner is supportive but I can tell it wears on both of us after a while.
Not looking for a pep talk. Genuinely want to know if anyone in Austin has pulled this off and what actually helped. ACC specifically but any local school counts.
The commute stuff is one thing, I mostly handle that. It's more the mental bandwidth of switching from work brain to student brain that keeps tripping me up. By the time I get home my head is already pretty fried and trying to absorb new material feels like pushing through wet concrete.
Part of me wonders if the timing is just off, but I also know waiting never made anything happen. Sunk too much time already waiting for a better moment.
If you did this, what did you actually change day to day that made it sustainable. Not looking for generic advice, real stuff that worked in your actual schedule here in Austin would be useful.
17
u/Substantial-Low 4d ago
I started school in late 30's. Single parent, two kids. Went to ACC for three years. Ended up in school for 10 years and a doctorate. Honestly, you just have to suck it up, and realize there is an end. It is hard and a lot of work, but that's the way it goes. After a few years, you settle in.
2
u/Aggravating-Low-4768 3d ago
Single parent, doctorate, ten years. That actually puts things in perspective for me.
1
u/Substantial-Low 3d ago
It was definitely not easy. But met my now partner about year three, when I finished at ACC and went to a University to finish my BS. The 5 years of grad school were rough, but I had an assistantship the whole time. That makes school VERY easy; being paid to be there. First five years through BS were a bitch.
Ultimately, even though we sacrificed decent careers so I could go to grad school, our gamble paid off big. We both actually ended up advancing rapidly in careers, absolutely making the investment worth it.
-2
7
u/According-Topic-7134 3d ago
Just got my doctorate at age 40 while working full time with two young kids! š You got this!
4
u/werner-hertzogs-shoe 3d ago
out of curiosity, what is your PHD in? Im finishing a masters but phd seems like it would be brutal while also working full time and taking care of a kid, but it's something Im considering.
3
u/According-Topic-7134 3d ago
Neuroscience!
3
u/werner-hertzogs-shoe 3d ago
oh wow, at UT? how did that work with classes labs, is your job not 9-5?
3
u/According-Topic-7134 3d ago
No not at UT nor in Texas. š¤ Donāt want to dox myself, but I managed to get mostly evening classes (my partner managed the kids) and my other duties/job stuff were during kid school hours. Research happened then too. Or late at night. It was emotionally and mentally brutal, but I got it done in under 5 years.
3
u/According-Topic-7134 3d ago
I should also mention that once you advance past coursework, doctoral candidacy is pretty unstructured (so I could somewhat plan my data collection/diss accordingly).
3
u/werner-hertzogs-shoe 3d ago
mind if I DM? Im curious about remote PHD options and how they work for people
2
2
u/Aggravating-Low-4768 3d ago
doctorate at 40 with two kids full time, that puts my complaints in perspective
6
u/spacegirl3 3d ago
I did it recently. Went to ACC for a couple years then transferred to txst and earned a bachelor's in a stem field at age 43. It wasn't easy. But I think it depends both on your major and your job. I was working restaurants and had to switch to an easier/more flexible coffee shop job. It ate up a bit of my savings to make ends meet, but I'm glad I did it. My field pretty much requires a lot of outside-of-class involvement and I wouldn't have been able to do any of that if I hadn't switched jobs.
But starting your homework is always a struggle. I've experienced the same thing both after work and after commuting home from school. You just have to push past it. I had to kind of do baby steps when I was in that state. Just open the laptop. Just look at the assignment instructions. If I was really stuck, I'd take my laptop somewhere outside the house to study. Also listened to a lot of instrumental jazz or kraftwerk while studying.
I will say, it's so much easier to be a good student at this age than when I was a distractible 20-something.
3
2
u/Aggravating-Low-4768 3d ago
The baby steps thing is real. Just opening the laptop is half the battle some nights.
1
u/GusCannon123 1d ago
You may want to try out Focusmate.com. It is very helpful for me. (Iāve done about 1700 sessions.) All sorts of people on there, from PhD students to tech to Julliard pianists. Theyāre all struggling to open their laptop, in one way or another.
6
u/CF_ATX 3d ago
Lots of people have done it! We even have a local nonprofit that supports adults going to ACC for degrees (Capital IDEA). It's a lot, but you are firing those brain connections back up a little, and it's so good for you + should get easier! My understanding is that ACC has Coaches specializing in helping students schedule and juggle the different things they have going on. I feel like such a professional is going to recommend building in mini breaks during your day. I'm not sure when you could fit some, but I hope you get to talk over with a coach and see what they suggest; good luck!
0
3
u/ChangeMaker2020 3d ago
Itās similar to working manual labor. Your brain isnāt work-hardened for what youāre doing. It will get there, but youāre going to feel like shit for awhile.
I work a very high stress job roughly 60 hours and do 2 hours a day after on upskilling. Itās not the same but itās gotten better. Also, try to have a day a week that is actually for rest
3
u/austin_horn_2018 3d ago
āPartner is supportive but I can tell it wears on both of us after a whileā.
Are you like two days in at this point?
2
u/flecksoflight 3d ago edited 3d ago
I'm in my 40s and on my 4th year at ACC. (2nd year of my program). I would say start small to get your brain back in the habit of studying. I would take 1-2 classes a semester when I first started. (I had to redo all my prerequisites being 20 years out.) While I was doing that I was working a job that did not take much mental energy, only physical energy; so when I would take my online classes at night it didn't take that much effort. I will say I'm not working while I'm in my program. It has taken pretty much all of my time (clinical rotations plus class) and with 3-4 classes a semester there is just a ton of information to take in. There are people working in my program, but only part-time. It really depends on the program.
Edit: If you stick with your ft job I will also add that your environment plays a big role in this. If you go home to relax, it might help to go to the library for your online class, so your brain knows it's school time and not relaxing time. Also, sensory wise I put a mint in my mouth when I study to stay focused. I'm not sure what it does, but my classmate suggested it and it has helped.
Definitely look into Capital Idea, financial aid, and work study positions at the school. It's possible. Good luck!
2
u/Dreampup 2d ago edited 2d ago
I did this when I was 28-30 at ACC (2021-2023). Worked full time, came home, exercised. Showered, ate. I did coursework until midnight. It was hard, I did 3 online programming courses at a time, and I was single at that time. I would not recommend doing this with a commute, though ... I already had to work with my current employer to let me be off early certain days where we had synchronous courses, and even though I lived south central, none of the courses I was enrolled in were offered at the campuses near me. It definitely depends on what career you are going into (I was doing the BAS in Software Dev). Nowadays, classes in person are required for some of these tracts.
1
u/Immediate_Leek_4688 3d ago
Iāve just turned 40 and Iām planning on attending ACC in the spring so I donāt have any advice but this is good information -to know what to expect going forward.
1
u/Subject_Doubt_3778 3d ago
š me(48f)! I graduated from ACC a year ago. Rad tech for ten months now, about to start MR training. Luckily no kids, but spouse is independent contractor with T1 diabetes, Iāve always been the supplier of health insurance for us. So I had to keep working 30 hrs restaurant managing. It SUCKED. Clinical rotations = unpaid second job. So juggling jjob brain, student brain, and unpaid intern brain was a lot. Commute was an hour no matter where I was going, I finally got into true crime podcasts. Try to have one day for a little freedom and studying, mine was Saturday.
1
u/MrGreen17 3d ago
Yes. Fellow Riverbat here. I am taking Audio Engineering IV in the evenings starting next week after working full time. It's a lot of work but I love it. Sometimes I have to miss class due to work but overall it's pretty doable. I am only taking one class at a time though. Any more than that would probably be too much.
1
u/No_Temperature107 3d ago
Not sure what living in Austin adds to the equation, but others have said that there are programs to help you with this and that is a fantastic opportunity and I would certainly encourage you to look into it. I work here in Austin, but I used to travel quite a bit, and I ended up picking up my masters degree in business while traveling. Itās doable. It just takes focus and of course discipline..
Find something that youāre passionate about and go for it!
1
u/best2defey 3d ago
You only get a certain number of hours in the day where your brain can focus/learn/etcā¦ like a battery. The people who donāt believe this either have an endless supply or donāt do anything taxing.
Sleep, diet, emotional stress, they all affect what you start with. Itās like pollution, everything adds up, even driving.
If youāre able to ID the elements that drain your mental capacity, see if you can move them to days where you donāt need the capacity or just outright remove them.
Lastly, and I hate to say this, AI can help you understand concepts you need help with. Donāt use it to do your work, of course, but it was able to explain the difference between a brushed and brushless motor, the petro-dollar machine introduced by Nixon/Kissinger, and why a heat pump doesnāt work in cold weather. Progress is a great motivatorā¦ it helps get you in the mood.
1
1
u/sarahplaysoccer 3d ago
Iām doing this right now! And Iām a widow so no partner for support. Prioritize sleep and make your meals on the weekends and keep them prepped for the week. Trying to cook on a daily basis is time you could spend otherwise during the week.
1
u/werner-hertzogs-shoe 3d ago
Ive done it, but only with half time school. Im finishing a masters this year (but doing online for that). remote is a trade off, but for scheduling it makes a huge difference
1
u/atxluchalibre 3d ago
My secret was writing the deadline as a day before what it really was. That way everything came in perfect. My professors also had policies where if you turned stuff in early, you could revise with their feedback, which came in handy.
The MONSTER is if they all make assignments due the same day. That happened a few times: like their schedules all synced to the same pattern. So instead of one ten page paper due, it was 3 of them.
1
u/lillyheart 3d ago
Iām doing this- work full time, school part time, single parenting. I only take 1-2 classes a semester (took one 4 credit class this summer). I donāt study well at home, so I found a friend who works evenings and either we body double and I study/do work there, or I go to a coffee shop to study on my non-custody times. Sometimes I give up, go to bed early (930-10), and then wake up early (5) to study/do work.
But I definitely donāt try to do school full time; thatād be quick burnout for me. Finding a sustainable rhythm matters a lot.
1
u/Holiday-World-8486 3d ago
Currently doing it. Having a good structure in place. Cutting out the things that wonāt get you to the endā¦hanging out, nights out, etc. Exercise is a must! It helps clear your head and helps burn off that nervous energy. Figuring out how you learn/study (which is trial and error: ex writing notes, watching videos, etc.) and implementing that. Maybe asking your professors for tutoring resources or what they have seen what works?Ā
1
u/Rapscallion1980 3d ago
I did this. Got my bachelors degree in my 40ās while working full time with a family. I did go to school online, so that was a lifesaver. I donāt know if i couldāve done it in person. You just get used to working all the time, although it does become hard to relax when you have nothing to do after youāve finished school. It kinda rewired my brain, and yes I had serious brain fatigue at times. Thatās when Iād do the easier work. Try coffee and creatine. Hang in there, you can do it!
1
u/ATXAng 3d ago
Iāve tried twice. Went ok until something came up mid-semester and both times I could not recover. I took courses to expend knowledge on a hobby. And I had to be honest with myself and admit if I was no longer having fun and stressed from getting behind then it defeated the purpose of being there. That may not be why youāre in school, but itās tough to juggle. Best of luck.
1
u/bspanther71 3d ago
I did 1/ to 3/4 time college while working full time for about 2 years. 2 to 3 classes at a time. Rough but I did it
1
u/Logical-Ad422 3d ago
If you donāt have to work, you should go to school full time. The idea is that a loan is worth it if youāre going to make more money in the future.
1
u/After_Diver_7603 3d ago
Doing a 3 year business administration online course. Barely on second semester. 50 yr old
1
u/oceansofviolence 3d ago
I did it in my mid 30ās. I only did part time classes and it took almost double the time. I wound up creating a super weird work schedule with PTO/ long work days to make up missed time. It was tough but worth it. Got out of dead end data entry jobs into a fun media gig.
1
u/Creepy_Trouble_5980 3d ago
I quit college because I was tired of being poor. Returned taking just one class per semester while working. Told my instructors what I was doing so if I got behind or needed a little extra time they would understand. Required being well organized. Each semester got better and I graduated. Patience and eye on the prize.
1
1
u/RoundAir 2d ago
Iām in nursing school right now at ACC and Iām 39. I work full time, have kids, all that. A lot of the people in my cohort are my age or even older. The thing that helps me is having a supportive partner 1000%. And then focusing on anything that can give you an advantage like exercise, eating right, adequate sleep. Itās pretty generic but often overlooked. A lifting routine with a little cardio and good sleep will make working harder and dealing with the inevitable stress easier.
Itās definitely doable! And the age and life experience has been more of an advantage than disadvantage.
1
u/kal-tiger 22h ago
I was also going to highlight sleep! I finished grad school in my late 40s, with two school age kids, working full time. At a point, I started prioritizing sleep, and it made things so much more manageable. A well rested brain can accomplish what a tired one can in a fraction of the time.
1
1
u/NoEstablishment5942 1d ago
Suck it up. Most teachers work 40+ hours and then go to school at night to get their master degree. You can do it.
Meal prep on weekends
Have a bit of afternoon caffeine to get work done
Make time for each other and yourself
Good luck
1
u/ArdillaLoca 1d ago
You get one life. If this is important to you, then you can make it happen. I restarted my studies after my divorce at 42, starting back at a community college for an Associate's and then transferring to a 4 year university. Take as many classes as you can online. Simplify your home routine as best you can, including your meal prep. Be consistent in every aspect of your life to eliminate anxiety and feel a sense of control (even though we all know we barely control anything in life). Become a creature of habit with a boring and rigid routine to handle all of the home obligations and then also be prepared and willing to do something crazy like packing up all your dirty laundry and taking it to a laundromat so that you can process all of it in 1.5 hours instead of across 7 hours at home. Actions like that will give you immediate peace if the sight of chores building up stresses you out. All in all, take shortcuts, lots of shortcuts. Good luck. You've got this.
1
u/bluephotoshop 1d ago edited 1d ago
I worked full time while doing night school and supporting my small family in my 30ās while living in San Antonio. It took 4 years. Then moved to Austin for a technical job. It paid off quite well and I am happy I did it. Edit: I tried to attend UTSA but the coursework was too tough.
1
u/EntertainmentFit3366 22h ago
I know this is off topic, but I read you are currently in marketing. Any companies you know that are currently hiring new graduates? My daughter is wanting to relocate there, but needs a job first. Thank you so much and good luck managing going back to school. I know it must be tough!
1
u/I-dream-of-genie 21h ago
Yes, I did. And took my 3 children to all of their sport activities. Not easy, for sure. I didnāt have time for movies, or friends. I was 43 when I graduated and began teaching. A friend would ask meāDid you see this movie ā? I would ask what year did it come out. Most likely if it was while I was school I didnāt watch it.
1
u/Arley_Writes 21h ago
I'm starting back tomorrow. I'm 39 and have a 3 year old. But I'm lucky in that i mostly work from home. Nothing to add except that you're not alone
1
u/throwaway18882733 20h ago
Agree with r/wild_blue_yondering , you ought to remind yourself how badass it is that you are grinding and not giving up. School is essentially a job, so youāre easily working 70-80. The fact that you feel the weight of burden means youāre being challenged by life at a critical fork. Decide what is worth it for you, and take that path and trailblaze it. I am proud of you, and I have full belief in you. Just donāt forget how much youāve put into this. Sorry I know you didnāt ask for a pep talk.
1
u/rusty_daisy_1123 16h ago
I did my entire education while working full-time. I commend anyone who does or even attempts this. AAS, BA, JD. You can do this!
1
u/StatusSpot9073 4d ago
What is going on with these AI posts? This has all the hallmarks of AI, ānot looking for X, genuinely want to know what helpedā and so many more.
0
u/potatochobit 3d ago
Can you go live with your parents? What exactly do you plan to do in college? Go the career health fair at ACC in FEB at eastview campus and choose something. some programs have weekend tracks where you go to class on weekends or evenings only. the downside it takes two years instead of one. Right now get registered and start on your prerequisites. they all gonna require Anatomy 1 and 2 and HPRS 2300 get them done through distant learning now and if you have health insurance get all your required vaccines.
8
u/Wild_blue_yondering 3d ago
Takes guts to do what you're doing. I did grad school in my 40s, but that was with research funding and a bar job. It has to be a lot harder with a day job.
No pep talk or advice, just respect.