Work Full-time & School

[asiank]

For everyone that's going to school and is already certified: If you worked full-time while going, how hard was it? Were you exhausted all the time?

 

[Meilien]

Hi RainyNikki,

I worked full time & went to massage school 1/2 time. 1/2 time was two to three nights per week. Each class was two nights per week, 4 hours each night, for a total of 6 weeks. After completing a hands on class our school would have us complete 6 sessions of clinic hours within 8 weeks of finishing that class. So, that would make it 3 nights a week at times.

I knew some classmates that held full time jobs while taking a full load at school. They seemed to be the younger students in their early 20's. I remember a few of them said they were depressed, but wanted to complete the program quickly.

I could barely handle going 1/2 time. I was in a stressfull day job at a brokerage firm. I stuggled with depression, performance anxiety & PSTD while going to school. I felt like I never had a enough time to study for the Anatomy/Phys courses.

It took me about 22 months to finish a 39 semestor program that was over 600 hours. I took a couple breaks in that time, so I graduated a few months after most of my friends that were also part time that started with me.

During this time I reconnected with an old friend, we started dating, and got married! It was quite the adventure going to school and starting a relationship that led to marriage.

It was WORTH it! I am so happy to finally be in a career that I enjoy. It will be a few years to even come close to earn what I was earning before, but I know it can be done. My husband is supporting us and I am slowy starting my mobile massage practice. I have anywhere from 0 - 4 clients per week. I love the free time I am enjoying now and I can thank my new hubby for that.

It will be hard juggling it all, but it will also be great! I didn't even metion all the personal trasformations that occured as a result of massage school. You will meet some neat friends and discover alot about yourself.

Have fun!

 

[Fire 23]

I am currently going through massage school while working full time. We have school M-Thurs from 7-10:30 PM and clinical internship on Sundays from 8-1:30. It is an 800 hour program, and going nights takes one year. My last day is July 26th, and I have to say the time has gone really quickly! But at the same time, so much has happened!
Yes, there are lots of times I'm tired, but it has also been great! there are so many positive things that happened, some I never would have expected. It's amazing what a chair massage will do for a boss, and his attitude towards you!
I actually enjoy school, so it gives me motivation to get out of bed and go to work in the morning even if I am really tired! and think about what I have to look forward to - going to work someday (soon!) and doing something I really love to do!
You won't be the only one in your class working while going to school, and your classmates will support you. We go to school, tired and stressed, and tell each other "Hang in there, it'll be worth it in the end!"
It will mean you probably have to get good/creative at managing your time. At least that's what it seems like for me, for instance using my lunch hour to either study or get my exercise in for the day. but, look at it as an investment of your time towards your future.
Have a great time at school!

 

[kja63]

I worked full time and went to the "power version" of MT school (intensive course - shorter finish time but longer hours and back to back days for some classes). However, I already had my A&P going into it, so was able to comp out of all of that classwork.

I also was able to move my work around as needed with the schedule, and since it was my own business, I am pretty sure I was able to let more things slide than someone who is an employee.

It was hard - but, it worked out fine. I WAS exhausted.

Good luck in your endeavors!

 

[Freeeeezing !]

I will be finished with massage school at the end of July, and it's been QUITE a journey so far.

I'm in class 14 hours per week (which is considered full time by university standards), and I work at least 40 hours per week. I also do 2-4 massages per week on my own time and practice Yoga daily. If I am not at work or school, I am studying. My only free and clear break is Sunday mornings until noon, and I have to FIGHT for that time. It's really hard. I've struggled with depression, especially over the last couple of months, but massage is my passion. I'd go through it all over again if that's what it would take to do this professionally.

I'll be honest with you. If you choose to go this route, you can pretty much kiss your social life goodbye for the time you're in school. You'll sleep less. You'll see less of your family. Sometimes you might feel like you're losing your mind. But if it's what you really want then the sacrifices are more than worth it.

HOWEVER, if you have the means, I would highly recommend either quitting work or dropping back as many hours as you can. If I had it to do over again, even if I had to take out loans, that is the route I would take.

Kemilyna

 

[Vampire Lord]

I worked full-time (or very close to it) while going to massage school. But my program was one full weekend every three weeks (9-6 Friday, 8:30-5 Saturday, 8-4 Sunday) -- 650 hours took 18 months, and I was never there on a weekday. I had no children at the time. And I was already an experienced massage practitioner before starting the program, so I had less of the stress and worry that many of my classmates felt about work, clinic, AP, etc. (Not that I was better at these things -- just having been out in the world meant I didn't have worries about what to expect there.)

I know myself and I would not have been able to do the program more intensively while still working fulltime. So if you are like me and need lots of family and alone time, or need to learn slowly like I do, then get lots of support set up before entering into a high-pressure situation like this. It CAN be done, but know what you're getting into, to avoid injury and early burnout. And take your vitamins!

 

[Kerrie B]

I worked full time, and went to school M-F 8am-4pm and 1 Sat a month for 6 months. Plus had a young child too. As a single mom I can tell you I was exhausted, but it was well worth the work. I wouldn't change anything.

 

[LadyMady]

Yup, it ws hard. But it saved the savings, which we needed soon after. I'd work 2 hours before school and 2-4 after school, full days when we didn't have school, usually weekends too. Fun stuff.

 

[Me =]]

I went part time and worked full time. Took me about two and a half years to get my thousand hours. But definately worth it. I'm glad I went part time instead of full time. Gave me more time to practice.

Jason

 

[Ethiopian ruler]

I worked a 40-hour office job - would leave from there and went straight to school for three nights for 4-hours a night. Exhausted - sometimes. Busy - always! And I didn't disclose to the people at work that I was going to school to become a massage therapist - so add that into the mix. We really didn't have breaks like most programs - so vacations were out of the question unless it was to take a day for a school activity - or to go to state board. Weekends were spent studying or working on the workbook for A/P. It was hard at times - and I felt guilty for not being able to be around my family as often as I wanted. But, I knew I had to succeed or else all that sacrifice would have been for nothing.

With all that being said, I loved being in school so the joy outweighed the pain. I made long-lasting friendships. So far we've managed to find ways to connect at least once a month - whether it's a class we all are interested in - or just getting out to eat. I know I am looking forward to seeing our careers flourish. I was truly blessed with good teachers and people who wanted to learn. We worked together well - and we always tried to help each other with the stuff we didn't understand. My biggest challenge was overcoming my nervousness - especially when you had to work on someone in the field. I had to get to the place where I was confident in the ability I had - and the skills that I was taught and just push out anything that got in the way of that goal. By the end of the course, I was not intimidated to work on the LMT I had for my final practical (which counted for half the final exam). I was relaxed and actually enjoyed working on her. I received the highest score since I started the course and I didn't stress over it like I did the first time we had a practical like this. I knew I did my best - and the LMT was complimentary - but also added suggestions to help me even more. My family is proud of my accomplishments. And as I take the next steps in my career. they are right there cheering me on.

 

[vickky :)]

Working Full-time while in school full-time

I'm in Massage Therapy school now (6 weeks left) and I don't suffer from the topic under discussion, but there was a time.........

23 years ago, I worked Full-time night shift as a Respiratory Therapist, while going to Nursing School full-time. I was also crazy by going through divorce at the same time and dealing with shared custody of 2 young children under the age of 5. The trade-off or upshot of the experience, was giving up sleep.
When it came down to it, the school part was easy (as long as I showed up).

These experiences are very difficult in the moment, but the long-term payoff in terms of lifetime satisfaction, are the proverbial carrot in front of the jackass (or was that donkey)?

For anyone choosing the difficult path, do be sure you make time for fun and quiet time; these things will preserve your sanity.

Epi_nephrin

 

[Toss that Yeyo and Run]

It's hard,but do-able. I worked full -time and went to massage school full-time and completed my 650 hour /9mo program without suffering a major meltdown...I would do it all over in a second!

Namaste,
Johnny

 

[London lady!]

i started out my first semester working at an office job full time (commuting from brooklyn to westchester) and then going back into manhattan for school 3 days a week until 10 pm. i would leave my house 6am and not get home till 11pm.
for second semester, i quit that job and started working at an upscale nyc spa for the experience and then went to school at night. my schedule is work mon-fri 8:30-3, then school 6-10 tues-thurs. saturdays i have classes 9am-6pm. and we have clinics one month each semester (3 sundays for one month at school, one sunday at an offsite place). it is pretty hectic, but i use the time between work and school to study. what stinks is that i just dont have any life and miss out on a lot. but on the plus side, im just about ready to start my 4th and final semester of school, and i'm finished with clinics, so i will have my sundays back.

 

[Eplus]

Ive been going to school full time and work full time for over two years.
Its still exahuasting sometimes, but not really as exhuasted as I was!
I key part to keeping youself from getting overrunned is to keep a scheduel and a day plainer to make sure you know where you need to be at any given day of the week. Dont switch your scheduel around too often because you get stressed out.
And one big peice of advice : DONT TAKE ON ANYMORE IF YOU DONT HAVE TOO.
I use to go to a second school part time which was just way to big a work load, and I even tried a second job after that to pick up money- which lasted for a day because I couldnt stand it. But you shouldnt take on more work because you dont have that much time.
I use what free time I have to work on homework and relax.

 

[Amr R]

I was a newlywed (only 6 months) when I entered school and I had a stressful 52-60 hour week job with a boss that liked to make my day horrible.

I went to classes Monday through Thursday in the evenings between 6 - 9 pm, which meant that I got up around 6am and didn't get home until 11pm. I studied every chance that I got. When clinicals started, I still had that schedule but now it included Saturdays from 8:00am - 4:00pm. I had also opted to take another 100 hour course. :shock:

It's true that your classmates will support you. Because of my class schedule was in the evenings, most of us there worked full time. It was a great support to share the "battle" stories of our day jobs while we dreamed of our new positions. We shared the sweat and tears of our situation.

Now, years later, I remember that I was very stressed and a depressed when I went to school and wanted to quit a couple of times when it was pretty bad (more my day job problems than anything else) but I only have fond memories of my time in school. It was (and is) a great experience. I too have learned a lot about myself (and my dear husband who was already an MT). I know that I have the strength and endurance to carry forward in all my endeavors.