Turning in Your Work Badge for a Student I.D.: How to Leave Work for School

Secondly, and possibly most importantly, consider your financial planning. When deciding to leave your job to become a full-time student, some people may consider you irrational and overly-ambitious. Who leaves a full-time job in the midst of a recession? How will you make ends meet? They may even consider you ‘too old’ to not have a job; and quite frankly you may even ask yourself these same questions, especially when finances come into the equation or your shopping sprees become close to non-existent.

While it may be somewhat of a struggle, there are many options for a full-time student to stay afloat financially. If managed correctly, you may even have a tiny bit left over to treat yourself every now and then.

First, calculate all of your bills. Hopefully you have a cushion of savings that you’ve acquired from your full-time job that will assist you in the transition. In addition, if most schools prefer you to be a full-time student, they will more than likely offer grants and/or stipends. Check into those options. If all else fails, the good ole’ refund check will definitely assist you. Keep in mind, this money has to be paid back; and although an attractive option when your funds are somewhat low, use it wisely. Only take what you need to assist you; and if you don’t need it, don’t take it!

Another option for a full-time student is to take on a part-time job. It may be wise to choose a job related to your degree; but the most important thing is to choose a job that won’t be as demanding as your studies.

Finally, don’t get discouraged. Keep the end result in mind. The life of a full-time student may not be as glamorous as the life of an established career woman; however eventually it can be. That’s the purpose of furthering your education, to pursue your goals. While you may think your life will begin to look like a snippet from A Different World or your freshmen year of college, it won’t (or at least it shouldn’t). You’re an adult now. No parties or pledging, only goal-driven decisions and studying; and despite the late night cramming and the study groups with possible obnoxious peers, you can still have somewhat of a social life (especially if you’re sans a full-time job). The key is to plan before your transition and figure out how to make it work for you.