My New Life As a Graduate Student

So I just finished with midterms about two weeks ago and I’m heading into a new one next week. I’m so surprised that nearly 10 weeks have passed into my new program. I’m already half-way through my first semester! As a new graduate student, I’m quite surprised how my old delight in going to school and my love of learning is still strongly within me. I haven’t been in school for 5 years and now that I’ve returned, I still find that I fit into school like a glove. The old study habits are still there.

The real challenge for me has been trying to balance my newfound school life with that of my personal life. This year has certainly been a year of transition for me. For the past 8 years I’ve lived and worked in Santa Barbara when in late January of this year I was laid off by my employer. Unable to find a job, I resolved to move back to Riverside, my hometown, to live rent free with my mother until I could get my life back together. It was quite difficult leaving my old home of Santa Barbara. I didn’t want to leave behind my friends, my favorite haunts, and the wonderful city that I had grown so fond of. I fought hard against making the decision to move back to Riverside, but in the end, I could see no better solution. Soon enough, I found another job working in San Bernardino, from which I was laid off nearly 3 months later.

I knew last year that I wanted to make a change in my life. Last year I had become heavily involved in Obama’s political campaign and after the elections, I knew for certain that I wanted to work in politics. In order to do that, I knew I would have to go back to school. And, for me, going back to school was not too difficult a decision because I had always enjoyed school. I also felt that I had become stagnant in my career. I felt that I needed to obtain a master’s degree and I discovered that a master’s in public policy and public administration exist. Unfortunately, due to losing my job in Santa Barbara, my graduate application process stalled somewhat.

After suffering two layoffs this year, I decided that I had to direct my energies into pursuing graduate school. I could no longer put my dreams aside. Thankfully, I was accepted into Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy program, albeit quite late in the game. I had a wonderful summer with no work, no school, and no rent. Believe me, I cherish that summer! Who knows when I’ll get another summer like that? However, with Pepperdine’s acceptance came huge waves of transition. I had to move quickly out of my Mother’s place to stay with family in Calabasas, get used to commuting school (because I never commuted to UCSB), and get used to traveling between Santa Barbara and Riverside to see family and friends. While I think I have the studying part down, I don’t think I have the social/personal life quite balanced just yet. I haven’t even been to the gym since I’ve been back in school But I’m not afraid because I’ve done this so many times before. I’m a multi-tasker by nature. My boyfriend always tells me that he has a difficult time multi-tasking and I always respond to him, “You should have been born a woman!” Haha.

As I studied for my midterms, I have to admit that I don’t quite remember studying so hard for exams and having so many exams packed together. I’m sure I was in that position before but experiencing this 5 years later is somewhat of a new experience. While everything has been an adjustment for me, I’m thrilled to be back in school. I’m truly excited for where my new education and friends will take me. In spite of all of the transitions I’ve been through this year, I see it as a great learning experience for me. I’m looking forward to my next two years in the public policy program. I believe I’m on the road to reaching my goal to be in political life.

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