Knowing What I'm Doing

A typical week during semester...

I'm a planner.  Always have been.

I was forward planning on potential outcomes throughout Ian's illness.  When it looked like he was going to survive, albeit severely disabled from a massive stroke, I was looking at house plans or for places to live near his mother's nursing home in order to keep our family as close together as possible. 

Same planning applies to my studies.

I have an excel spreadsheet with my plan of attack. What subjects I'll do which semesters.  All based on the structure of the course.

Then this week, as we gear up for finals, I get an email.  "the 2015 timetable will be released next week.  The timetable will change significantly". 

Ok, good. That might mean I won't need to rely on my parents for child care as subjects may actually be offered during the days I have paid care.  Because two of the subjects on this year's timetable were in the evening.

Then reviewing the course rule, I then notice they've added an extra core subject and dropped an elective...

WHATTTT!!!

That completely throws out my study plans. I was planning to do two core subjects each semester and do the electives over summer and winter and mid-semester breaks as intensives, thus knocking off the degree end of 2015, ready to go back into the workforce at the time John starts school in February 2016. 

All planned, happy with the plan.  All systems moving.

Yeah, as we all know full well, life doesn't to plan.  

With this change once again I'll probably need to do three subjects in one semester in order to graduate end of next year. Going into 2016 to finish was a possibility, now it's a probability.

I've had a three subject load this semester and don't have quite enough child care to adequately manage three subjects and a 3 year old.  I was intentionally planning my subjects next year to accommodate this fact of my life.

John's sleep patterns eliminate the option of study in the evenings.  He needs tickle fights, board games, story time and cuddles in the evenings, not mummy sitting at the table reading text books and practicing calculations.

At least I have four months to get my head around whatever the timetable will look like.

And get ready for the next curveball that will inevitably come.