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Gimme a Break – From Grad School, That Is

I’m in the middle of my summer break from grad school (I’m getting my Masters in Nonprofit Administration at University of San Francisco) and it is glorious. I have time to jog, clean the house, and sleep – all things that eluded me when I was in school (OK, OK, I still cleaned the house, but I didn’t keep up with it the way I am now!). But more than allowing me to watch hours of Mad Men, this break has done a lot for me.

Here’s a few reasons why a break from grad school is so important.

  • It brings you back to your center. I have to admit that managing full time work and grad school made my inner equilibrium go haywire. There were moments when I found the balance again, but the majority of the time I was off. I was stressed out and finding it difficult to determine priorities. Having more than a week off from school has allowed me to explore a more balanced lifestyle. And while it doesn’t mean I will jump back into the program stress free, it does mean that I am renewed and ready to move forward. I remember what it’s like to be balanced again.
  • It allows you time to reflect. Having some time away from the program has caused me to think back on the past year and how the material will impact my professional life in the future. With such a practical program, it’s easy to see how it can be useful in the moment. What will be important is how it will be useful in the future. And without being immersed in learning new material, I can take a step back and evaluate the importance this program will have to my life.
  • It builds excitement to start again. While I don’t miss the stress of always having something to do, I do miss the learning aspect of my program. I have really enjoyed being an active participant in understanding the nonprofit sector today and how I can be a part of it and make change (or simply promote something that’s successful). Having this break has given me breathing room to understand grad school’s importance to my life again.

I want to emphasize the importance of having a REAL break, too. I had a break of a comparable size in December/January and yet it didn’t have this effect on me at all. I was running around, preparing for the holidays, and I even got sick for a long period of time. That did not count. I was so distracted with things that I didn’t feel relaxed at all. This break has been great because I’ve been able to really relax and do the things I love (yes, that includes watching Netflix). And it’s been more than wonderful for me. Now, check back with me in a month and remind me of this post!!

-N.C.

31 Day Reset: Day 14 – Reflect & Regroup

I’m participating in the 31 Days to Reset Your Life program at Happy Black Woman. The program is designed to help you evaluate your goals and priorities and think of them in the context of your life today and how you might be able to refocus on what’s important. Read on to learn about my experience with the challenge!

We’re at the two week mark so we’re getting a day to reflect on what we’ve learned this past week and read others’ posts and comment.

The most important thing I learned about myself this week is from my Hate Mail to my Lizard Brain post. I learned that I am the one who has control over the resistance I sometimes experience to doing new things or even doing them differently. I make the choices that lead to the decisions… so, it doesn’t have to be that way.

My favorite exercise was definitely yesterday’s creation of an ideal life narrative. I loved being able to envision my wildest dreams (which I don’t think I’ve ever really admitted to myself) and it was really cool to see that much of it is attainable.

I struggled the most with deciding on my accountability partner. My instinct from the start was to ask my boyfriend, but reading Rosetta’s comments about it not being anyone who was too close got me thinking it might not be a good idea. I feel confident in the decision, however. I think he is close but he’s not afraid to be honest with me.

Thanks for continuing on with me in this journey!

-N.C.