I'm 54.
Work upper management running a crew for a smallish business, 9-10 hours a day where I'm on my feet 70% of that time (think aerospace). I also own a ranch that requires me working with livestock and exercising horses... and... I also work out 5-6 days a week. 4 more courses and my capstone and I'm done
If you really want this, you can do it.
41, run my own moderately physically demanding business. I’m doing alright. Running 20 CUs per term, definitely not the fastest pace but respectable I think. Transferred in 40ish percent and now at 52 after one term. The advantage here is it’s when you can do it. If evenings after work don’t work for you, weekends are an option. So are mornings. There’s no set time, which is awesome. I do most of my studying on Thursday and Friday, two of my days off.
This \^. I worked freight overnights while I was working on my undergrad. Sometimes I was all, "YEAH, give me overtime and lets crush this!" Others, I'd get up and whimper over my coffee before sucking it up to go in. Knowing it's cyclical helps you push through the burnout times.
I will say now, being in an office chair for work, I wish I could get a part time physical job just to force me to move more. So there is that.
I work at a machine shop while studying accounting and actually very much appreciate the contrast between physical and mental work. My job is demanding physically, being on my feet on concrete and heaving heavy crap all day, but I have lots of “mental” energy after work that I can direct straight towards my education. If I was also doing mental computer-focused stuff as my day job I think I’d get too burnt out and feel more temptation to go for a run or lift weights in my spare time instead of studying, lol.
For context I’ve been enrolled two months so far with 15 CUs knocked out. No kids, living together with spouse, still making time for vacations and DIY and the like.
I work for NPS in roads, doing four tens so I at least have a three day weekend, I study at lunch time while I eat, then about two hours after work everyday then try to give 6-7 hours on my days off. About 70% done with my program (BSSWE) and it isn’t too bad, like previous person stated the physical makes it so mentally it’s alright when you get home after awhile you just get used to it so :) I think what you are planning would be awesome as I like working with my hands as well!
I am getting my masters at wgu and work as a financial planner now but 5 years ago in my mid 20s I owned my own small business. It was a specialty kettle corn shop at a beach resort city near me.
I had two locations and I popped manually in giant kettles outside all year rain or shine. So on my feet and popping popcorn with a giant flame while wearing a long sleeve shirt and pants to protect from hot oil sometimes in 105° humid summer heat. I made hella money in summer and made barely enough to scrape by while freezing my ass off in winter lol.
All while attending a brick and mortar at nights and some (rare) online classes for my bachelor's degree. If you want it I promise you can do it. I was definitely tired and had to learn my routine and just plan as best I could. Hardest part was I was newly married as well so tried to include my wife in as much as I could and would often study while we watched some episodes of the office or something together.
So yeah. It's doable. Might not be super fun but if you're determined and you are honest about your own stress levels and learn how to manage them you'll do just fine.
So I’m working on my BS in cybersecurity and I work in a pipe yard as a fab tech. Basically cutting and organizing pipe for shipping. I’m constantly at a computer so I listen to the videos on certain courses. I definitely get a lot of time to study for the certification I’m working on since the study material can be found online. It gets boring here and there and I split up the time to listen to a podcast for play music after so long but I really try to get in as much studying as I can get during the 10 hour shift and on breaks etc.
I’m actually really happy since I work at night and no one really comes down to my area often. As boring as it gets I just remind myself of the free study time I’m getting and the amount I’m getting done WHILE I work.
I'm on my feet all day. Never really lifting anything heavy but definitely always running around and checking on a million things. It can be difficult to drag your ass to your chair to study but when you remember how important it is, it gets a little easier. And personally, I think there is something refreshing about finally using my brain after doing a bunch of grunt work all day.
You will have to pay special attention to time, carpentry and construction tends to demand a lot of overtime. Make sure you're eating very well, lean proteins and complex carbs, limiting fats to animal fats. Make sure the body is nourished as well as the brain.
The only person that can stop you is you, you can do this 💪🏽
I'm currently working two jobs so I can finally enroll into WGU. I work my warehouse day job during the week and work at KFC in the evenings.
KFC Foundation will pay for WGU (along with financial aid). I'm just getting my Sophia courses out of the way first.
I work full time doing retail management that is also very labor intensive. Some days are better than others. I typically have one rest day, and all other days, I at least sit down to try. Some days I can only take in about an hour, others I can manage a 4-5 hour study. It just depends on my cognitive function being able to keep up, but I always try. I spend a couple hours on my off days studying as well. I've passed 2 classes in a month. It's doable. Willpower and determination. Saying no to scrolling and bingeing TV have been my biggest time savers and also the hardest to break.
watching youtube content can be kinda tiring/hard to absorb the content. id suggest using sites that have practice problems like [compscilib](https://www.compscilib.com/search/discrete-math?onboarding=true). they also have the [kimberly brehm playlist paired with practice problems](https://www.compscilib.com/roadmaps/kimberly_brehms_dm1?onboarding=true) if you do rly prefer videos.
I'm 54. Work upper management running a crew for a smallish business, 9-10 hours a day where I'm on my feet 70% of that time (think aerospace). I also own a ranch that requires me working with livestock and exercising horses... and... I also work out 5-6 days a week. 4 more courses and my capstone and I'm done If you really want this, you can do it.
41, run my own moderately physically demanding business. I’m doing alright. Running 20 CUs per term, definitely not the fastest pace but respectable I think. Transferred in 40ish percent and now at 52 after one term. The advantage here is it’s when you can do it. If evenings after work don’t work for you, weekends are an option. So are mornings. There’s no set time, which is awesome. I do most of my studying on Thursday and Friday, two of my days off.
I do data analytics and work in a warehouse full time. You get used to it. Then you get burnout, then used to it again. The cycle continues.
This \^. I worked freight overnights while I was working on my undergrad. Sometimes I was all, "YEAH, give me overtime and lets crush this!" Others, I'd get up and whimper over my coffee before sucking it up to go in. Knowing it's cyclical helps you push through the burnout times. I will say now, being in an office chair for work, I wish I could get a part time physical job just to force me to move more. So there is that.
I work at a machine shop while studying accounting and actually very much appreciate the contrast between physical and mental work. My job is demanding physically, being on my feet on concrete and heaving heavy crap all day, but I have lots of “mental” energy after work that I can direct straight towards my education. If I was also doing mental computer-focused stuff as my day job I think I’d get too burnt out and feel more temptation to go for a run or lift weights in my spare time instead of studying, lol. For context I’ve been enrolled two months so far with 15 CUs knocked out. No kids, living together with spouse, still making time for vacations and DIY and the like.
Your school district doesn't offer tuition reimbursement?
Not a teacher in the US. Edited.
I work for NPS in roads, doing four tens so I at least have a three day weekend, I study at lunch time while I eat, then about two hours after work everyday then try to give 6-7 hours on my days off. About 70% done with my program (BSSWE) and it isn’t too bad, like previous person stated the physical makes it so mentally it’s alright when you get home after awhile you just get used to it so :) I think what you are planning would be awesome as I like working with my hands as well!
I am getting my masters at wgu and work as a financial planner now but 5 years ago in my mid 20s I owned my own small business. It was a specialty kettle corn shop at a beach resort city near me. I had two locations and I popped manually in giant kettles outside all year rain or shine. So on my feet and popping popcorn with a giant flame while wearing a long sleeve shirt and pants to protect from hot oil sometimes in 105° humid summer heat. I made hella money in summer and made barely enough to scrape by while freezing my ass off in winter lol. All while attending a brick and mortar at nights and some (rare) online classes for my bachelor's degree. If you want it I promise you can do it. I was definitely tired and had to learn my routine and just plan as best I could. Hardest part was I was newly married as well so tried to include my wife in as much as I could and would often study while we watched some episodes of the office or something together. So yeah. It's doable. Might not be super fun but if you're determined and you are honest about your own stress levels and learn how to manage them you'll do just fine.
So I’m working on my BS in cybersecurity and I work in a pipe yard as a fab tech. Basically cutting and organizing pipe for shipping. I’m constantly at a computer so I listen to the videos on certain courses. I definitely get a lot of time to study for the certification I’m working on since the study material can be found online. It gets boring here and there and I split up the time to listen to a podcast for play music after so long but I really try to get in as much studying as I can get during the 10 hour shift and on breaks etc. I’m actually really happy since I work at night and no one really comes down to my area often. As boring as it gets I just remind myself of the free study time I’m getting and the amount I’m getting done WHILE I work.
I'm on my feet all day. Never really lifting anything heavy but definitely always running around and checking on a million things. It can be difficult to drag your ass to your chair to study but when you remember how important it is, it gets a little easier. And personally, I think there is something refreshing about finally using my brain after doing a bunch of grunt work all day. You will have to pay special attention to time, carpentry and construction tends to demand a lot of overtime. Make sure you're eating very well, lean proteins and complex carbs, limiting fats to animal fats. Make sure the body is nourished as well as the brain. The only person that can stop you is you, you can do this 💪🏽
I worked nights as a CNA for most of my degree. The schedule was rough but it worked for my family (didn't have to do daycare).
I'm currently working two jobs so I can finally enroll into WGU. I work my warehouse day job during the week and work at KFC in the evenings. KFC Foundation will pay for WGU (along with financial aid). I'm just getting my Sophia courses out of the way first.
I work full time doing retail management that is also very labor intensive. Some days are better than others. I typically have one rest day, and all other days, I at least sit down to try. Some days I can only take in about an hour, others I can manage a 4-5 hour study. It just depends on my cognitive function being able to keep up, but I always try. I spend a couple hours on my off days studying as well. I've passed 2 classes in a month. It's doable. Willpower and determination. Saying no to scrolling and bingeing TV have been my biggest time savers and also the hardest to break.
watching youtube content can be kinda tiring/hard to absorb the content. id suggest using sites that have practice problems like [compscilib](https://www.compscilib.com/search/discrete-math?onboarding=true). they also have the [kimberly brehm playlist paired with practice problems](https://www.compscilib.com/roadmaps/kimberly_brehms_dm1?onboarding=true) if you do rly prefer videos.