Your spouse has left for yet another deployment. You are left behind to manage everything as well as find yourself a hobby to kill time in between while he is away. There is no better opportunity to continue education at this point. This is where you can set yourself a goal for when your soldier returns, and you would not believe the motivation you will have during this time.

When my husband deployed in 2008, I wanted to make sure that I filled the time with something that would pay off in the long run. I knew that I would be motivated to get my degree and it would make him proud that I was doing something so important while he was away. Of course you should be sure you have a proper support system at home because continuing your education is not an easy task, especially with children. I started with an online university in July 2008, and as a full time working mom, it fit perfectly into my schedule. I was able to do my school work when I had the time, and work as fast or as slow as I wanted to. Today I am only 6 months away from that degree, and know that without going back to school, I would have lost my sanity during the deployment.

As an adult with a family and full time job, this will be a major commitment. Even if you are a stay at home mom, ensure that you find what fits into your schedule best. Online universities and colleges are so versatile for military families. What is great is that if you find yourself in the middle of a PCS, you can travel anywhere and take your school with you.

So you have made the commitment to go back to school, now what?

Once you have made that choice and spoken to your spouse about returning to school, there are expectations and rules you should set for yourself. It really helped me to discuss with my family just how things would change once I returned to school. I even went as far as to set certain days that I would need to complete my school work, and days I would have off. This kept things a bit more organized for me and my family. Be patient because at first it takes some time for everyone to get used to the fact that you will not have all that extra time. Don’t get overwhelmed, it pays off in the end.

No room for failure

Just when you set yourself goals and get organized, keep in mind that no matter how hard things may get, there is no way you are going to fail. I kept this in my mind, and I still do two years later. There are times when you will want to quit and never look back, but you have to learn to put things in the back of your mind and focus. Failure was not a term that I think of, because it is not something that I would accept. If I have to go without sleep and food, I would do so to ensure my success. And today I am on the Dean’s List for 7 semester’s straight, thanks to this thought. If you organize yourself properly and understand how to manage your time, you will be able to handle it.

School choice and benefits

As a military spouse, we have so many options on military friendly schools, but it can be overwhelming in making a choice. Using the Military.com school finder can save you a lot of time as well as headaches. This tool helped me to find my perfect school that met my needs.

And always ensure that you inquire about programs and military discounts. Thanks to my university’s military discount, I am saving over 50% on tuition. There are also programs and benefits that we can take advantage of, as a dependent of the military.

-The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts

-Spouse and Dependents Education Assistance Program

-State Provided Education Benefits

-GI Bill Transferability for spouses

You will not only have a great feeling of accomplishment returning to school, but today earning your college degree will help you in your current job with increase in pay as well as overall better chance of job opportunities.