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Finishing Graduate School While Planning a Wedding PDF Print E-mail
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Preparation
Written by Anitra   
Monday, 30 March 2009 09:56



Students in every part of NC can surely relate to the topic of this article. Whether you are pursuing your A.A., A.S., B.A., B.S., M.S., M.A., M.B.A., J.D., Ph.D., or any other degree or program beyond secondary education, planning a wedding in any semester of any given year during your school career can make you C.C. (Certifiably Crazy.) When I was planning my wedding I was in my second semester of my M.A. program. I had three night classes a week, a part-time job, and lived in Durham while my wedding ceremony and reception were going to be in a small town (Rock Hill, SC) about 30 minutes from my hometown of Charlotte, NC. Even with the help of my mother and aunts, planning my wedding and achieving my 4.0 GPA goal proved to be…well, downright hard. I found myself thinking of flowers and centerpieces in my Victorian Literature class and thinking of the next possible essay topic for my Critical Theory class while involved in our pre-marriage counseling.

The situation I found myself in was so difficult because both our wedding and my advanced degree were important for both my future husband and me. I felt like a juggler. And while both balls were always in the air, I was never completely sure I could catch them until they landed in my hands. Pretty soon things evened out, but that was largely because my wedding was in May and I wasn’t taking summer classes, but what about those brides out there who don’t have weddings in the summer? Those of you who are trying your hardest to be your own type of superwoman by going to school, possibly working, and also planning a wedding need not fear! As always, I have compiled a great starter “go-to” list to keep you sane:


• Plan ahead! Organizing your list of things to do will make it a lot easier to keep up with your tasks. If you know that your weekends will be busy, spend an extra hour or two during the week to make sure your grades don’t suffer. Sure, it’s an extra step, and may take extra time, but it’s worth it!

• Take a breather! Spend some time regrouping, as often as you need it, either alone or with your future mate. Taking a step back will instantly refresh you and is sure to clear your mind—both of which are important when attending school and planning a wedding.

• DELEGATE!! You have family members, the bridal party, the groom, the groomsmen, and other friends just waiting around for a task to do, so take advantage of that. Ask your maid-of-honor to research some great reception places in the area, or see if the groom wouldn’t mind handling everything involving the groomsmen.

• Exercise effective time management! Don’t “burn the candle at both ends.” You will only end up burning out! So along with planning ahead, make sure that you are making time to sleep, eat, and preserve the relationship that will soon be one of the main focuses of your life for the next 50+ years.

In addition to these tips, you also want to remember to keep your health generally good. Make sure you’re sleeping, eating, and still enjoying yourself. Planning a wedding is tough, planning a wedding while working is tougher, and planning a wedding while working and finishing school is even tougher. But hang in there, the reward is worth the work.