My Life As a Student, Take Three

It should go without saying, but I will say it anyway. Being a student when you have a child/children is totally different. Not only are you sharing your brain between work, school, spouse and household duties, now you've added another, and more needy, person to the mix. Before, even when I was married, I could and would put school first. That partially explains why I've never had a good housecleaning routine -- first five years of marriage I was in school. On one hand, part of me is glad I can't be that obsessive about it this time. For instance, we played Memory the night before my first A&P exam. On the other hand, it is really hard on me not to be able to put school first and foremost again. Because, you see, making good grades is the only thing that I'm REALLY good at. A's are my drug. I'm not kidding. The high I get from an A is unbelievable. Unfortunately, like all drugs, the high doesn't last long enough, and then I need another one and another one. And that blemish on my record from Chem II from my second semester in 1999? It's the equivalent of getting busted for first offense. I'll never forget it, and I'll never stop regretting it. Pathetic, I know. But hey, what's an A addict to do?