Life Update: How I Feel Graduating with my MBA While Having 2 Kids
This past weekend, I finally graduated with my Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Texas in Austin. Can you believe it? Having my MBA was always a goal of mine and these last few years have been quite a journey. There were times when I wasn’t sure if I would actually make it to graduation day, but here I am, diploma in hand, feeling a mix of relief and overwhelming accomplishment.
The Decision to Get an MBA
I decided to get my MBA back in 2020. At the time, I had just got married and completed my first marathon. With my personality, I always need a new goal to focus on, so applying for graduate school and going for my MBA seemed like the logical next step. Plus, COVID had everything on hold, so I had the time and opportunity to dive into this adventure.
It all started when a mentor of mine suggested that I consider getting an MBA. That simple suggestion sparked something in me, and I started to think about the possibilities. I looked at the job positions I aspired to within my current company and noticed that most of those individuals had their masters. I had dreams to climb the corporate ladder and figured this was something that would give me an extra edge on my resume. In addition, I always had a passion for business and was curious to learn more. Finally, I have dreams of starting my own company one day and thought an MBA could only help me.
I chose to pursue a part-time MBA program, so I could maintain my job and have an income to help pay for school expenses. Plus, I wanted to not risk losing any traction in my current role/company. So, after a bit of research (not too much, to be honest), I settled on the University of Texas. According to the US News and World Report rankings, their part-time MBA program is currently ranked #7. And since I wanted to stay in Austin and attend in person, UT was a no-brainer for me. If I was going to do this, I wanted to do it at the best.
Now, let me tell you about the program itself. At the time I attended, the University of Texas Evening MBA program spanned two and a half years of classes, with each session lasting three hours every Monday and Tuesday night. This was class year-round, even through the summer! A few times a year, we would meet for an entire weekend of class and there was also another week during the program where we got to go on a global trip (I went to Italy!). Needless to say, it was not a small commitment or undertaking.
Balancing Work, School, and Motherhood
But the challenge during this time was balancing work, school, and motherhood. When applying, I thought the class time would be manageable, but, if you recall, at the time I had no kids and was at home 99% of the time because of COVID. Little did I know, the amount of time I would spend outside of the classroom on schoolwork would be quite significant. During orientation, they mentioned students spend on average 10 hours a week outside of class on schoolwork. I brushed it off, thinking it was an exaggeration. Boy, was I wrong! It turns out, homework and studying became a major time commitment that I hadn’t fully anticipated. And to make things even more interesting, I had my son right before I started the program, and my daughter came along during it too. It was a juggling act! Finding the balance between work, school, and being a mom was nearly impossible at times. My friends and family who spent time with me over the last several years probably saw me going to school as one of my personality traits. It was not uncommon for me to be up early on trips to do homework, meeting with my study group on weekends, or not able to attend things all together because of schoolwork.
To be completely honest, getting my MBA turned out to be much harder than I thought. The workload was intense, and the difficulty level was higher than I expected. (There was a lot more math and finance classes than I bargained for). I couldn’t have made it through without my incredible support system, especially my husband. He was a rockstar dad, taking care of the kids while I focused on school. He worked just as hard as I did to keep our family afloat during these last few years.
My secret weapon for survival? Time blocking. I became crazy when it came to time scheduling and my calendar. I had to make every minute count, which probably explains why I’m so exhausted now that it’s all over. Here's what I did: I designated specific time blocks in my day or week for different things like work, class time, doing homework, working out, and spending quality time with my family. Sticking to these blocks was crucial for my sanity. When I was in study mode, I focused on keeping my head down and tackling the task at hand. But when it was family time, I did my absolute best to put all the schoolwork aside and be fully present as a mama.
Reflecting on the Achievement: Graduation Day & What’s Next
Looking back at these past few years, I now know there is nothing I cannot do. This juggling act taught me to be the best time manager and be fully present in what I am doing. Now that graduation day has come and gone, I can’t believe that it is over. In some ways, it seems like the longest 2.5 years of my life and in other ways the time has flown by. But one thing is for sure, I’m extremely proud of myself for sticking with it. I can’t wait to finally have that diploma that I always dreamed about and worked so hard for hanging on my wall.
Here’s the big question: Would I recommend getting your MBA? Honestly, I’m honestly not sure. It’s something you need to go into with your eyes wide open, fully understanding the expectations and challenges that come with it. Sure, it would be easier if you could go full-time and focus solely on school, or if you didn't have kids before embarking on this journey. But if those scenarios aren't in the cards for you, it's still possible, just challenging. My husband and I often talk about the future and eagerly await seeing how this sacrifice of getting my MBA will impact our family's future. I'm sure it will be worth it tenfold in the end, but I'll have to report back.
So, what is next for me? For now, I’m enjoying my last few weeks of maternity leave before headed back to work in June. This year has been my year of “rest” which I knew wouldn’t truly start until after graduation. I’m really looking forward to doing a whole lot of nothing –well ,mostly catching up on all the books and tv shows I haven't had a chance to enjoy over the last few years. I also want to write more frequently for my blog this year. I have so many ideas and things I want to share, but just didn’t have much extra time until now. Above all, I’m excited to be home and around more for my family. I just know this year will be filled with unforgettable memories. That’s all for now. XX McKenzie