I never, in a million years, thought I'd ever go back to school. I attended Hampton University (the real HU) and after four years of college---and however many years in elementary, middle, and high schools--- I was through with being a student. Though I had a wonderful undergraduate experience full of fun, exploration, and growth, I couldn't wait to get my adult on and start earning money at a full-time job.
After graduating from college, I knew a master's degree just wasn't needed. My mentor, a journalist and editor who worked for The New York Times, had a long, successful career and accomplished great things through grit and experience. Many of the journalists I admired did not have master's degrees, and I never had an issue getting jobs with just a bachelor's degree. I always thought that pursuing an advanced degree was something that only benefited those interested in teaching or becoming a C-suite executive.
Fast-forward about 15 years: I'm over 30, and I've worked for top publishing companies. I've launched a semi-successful consulting business. I've seen failure and halted the business. I've gone back into the workforce, traveled the world freelancing, and worked odd jobs in between. (Hey, no shame here. It's called taking risks and living life.)
After all of that, I hit a ceiling in terms of fulfillment, and I wondered what's next. I even lost my enthusiasm for journalism and found myself in a bit of mental rut. One day, I saw my sister---a savvy single mom and Navy veteran---and my mom---a 50-something pastor and government professional---finishing their final papers for their online graduate-degree programs. The light bulb in my head went crazy and the urge to follow in their footsteps kept me up at night. I knew then that I had to apply to a school. I did just that, got in, and boom, I became a student---again.
If you're considering going back to school after being in the workforce, taking a break for parenting, or surviving whatever life has thrown at you, be encouraged by these tips and go for it!
1.Recognize The Salary And Promotions Benefits
Going back to school led me to revisit the stats on graduate degrees and career advancement. Statistics show that getting an advanced degree in fields including business, technology and healthcare can lead to a increase in salary to the tune of more than $23,000, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Also, after doing a bit more research (ie stalking a few LinkedIn pages of top media professionals), I noticed that most of the them actually have advanced degrees and instead of starting as editorial assistants, they were already associate editors and managers.
Let's also think about this in a different way: Today, you're not limited to the traditional majors for a graduate degree. There are all sorts of programs that could benefit your career advancement. For example, you could pursue a master's degree in organizational leadership (MAOL) versus the MBA if that's more of a fit for your career plans. Try a master's degree in a related field or a program that includes courses that will give you specialized knowledge related to your industry. If you keep these things in mind, you'll remain motivated knowing the potential for return on your time and financial investment.
2.Get With The (Online) Program
With the advent of online options from accredited schools, as well as programs that cater to seasoned professionals, I really had no excuse not to pursue an advanced degree. In the past, online programs were considered nontraditional, and when you'd mention them, people would frown wondering about credibility and educational quality. Today, a third of all students take online courses, and even Ivy League schools---including Harvard and Columbia---offer online options. My program allows me to complete studies from anywhere in the world, and I set my own schedule. There are deadlines, of course, but it's not like when I was in undergrad, where you had a set time and day to go to class and were limited to that. I typically block out time to study and complete coursework just like I do for consulting, fitness, or a hair appointment. The key is to be super-mindful of how I spend my time and really commit certain hours of the day to learning and interacting with my professors and global community of classmates.
3.Find the Financial Aid Plug
I never really paid attention to the fact that jobs actually do offer education-related benefits. Companies including Walmart, PepsiCo and Bank of America offer tuition reimbursement. Ask your manager or HR professional about those education-related benefits that you may have ignored. Consider even applying for jobs at universities that offer tuition reimbursement, remission or employee discounts. Many universities have corporate partnerships with companies where they offer tuition discounts, so don't be afraid to ask around and do your research.
Scholarships aren't just for high school valedictorians. There are actually options for working adults returning to school to gain knowledge for fields or specialties that are in high demand such as cybersecurity. You may be eligible for scholarships based on your work experience, your volunteer activities, or your involvement in nonprofits or religious organizations. Utilize sites such as FastWeb.com or StudentAid.gov in your search, and tap into your network.
Pay out-of-pocket if you can. Schools offer payment plans where you can make payments throughout the semester. Find creative ways to finance your degree---from side hustles to downsizing in some areas of your spending. Trust me, the sacrifice for two to three years is worth it. If you take on a loan, only accept what you can afford to pay back and start your monthly payments while you're still in school. There's no shame in taking out a loan to reach your goals, but be sure you're taking on debt that you can manage and pay off.
4.Pace Yourself, Sis
You're not that teenaged, full-time college student with a weekly allowance and time on your hands just to study, party and travel. (Was that just me?) In going back to school, I underestimated the rigors of the program and took on several classes at one time in a rush to graduate in less than two years. Though my first semester was a great experience, it was a bit much in terms of combining my current freelance and consulting workload with schoolwork. If you have a busy schedule and are already balancing work and family life, maybe start with one or two courses per semester to get your feet wet.
Utilize some sort of calendar app, set alarms, and schedule your study time. If you're in an online program, this is especially important because it's easy to forget that an assignment is due or that you have to log in for a mandatory video lecture. Be kind to yourself in the college journey and know your limits based on your lifestyle and priorities. My life is mine to live, and sometimes, well, life happens. I've found that it's better to take time to do well than to have to re-take courses due to lack of focus and proper attention.
5.Tap Into Those Student Services
I love the student services my school offers--- everything from tutoring and writing labs to career and mental health counseling. These have been extremely helpful to me as a 30-something-year-old student. I must admit, I initially felt a bit awkward at my age going back to school, almost to the point of self-doubt and fear. I'm not that old but teens and 20-somethings today are doing some amazing things that I've never even thought to do. The scope of technology and its use is much more advanced than it was when I was in undergrad.
Knowing that I have student resources at my fingertips has helped me get over my insecurities.
It's awesome to be able to ask for help in navigating Blackboard or refreshing my APA paper-writing skills. It's also great to be able to just learn from others in a way I hadn't been able to in years. The whole experience has also reminded me that just like a teen or 20-something is new to college and knows all about what's trending today, I have the maturity and life experience on my side, so my perspective and contribution is respected and valued. Take advantage of services---many of which are typically included in your tuition cost---that will help you transition into student life and find balance.
Above all else, the invaluable benefits of going back to school mean the most to me. I now have a new sense of discipline and accomplishment that has boosted my self-esteem. My re-entry into higher education has also awakened the competitive geek in me who used to fight for an A and loved to talk topics with other very smart people. For me, going back to school also offers new possibilities for becoming a better leader and thinker, and that's worth more than money can buy.
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The pair often says they’re two sides of the same coin. Skylar is an Aquarius. She attended art school, paints, and loves poetry. She’s more than happy to let the couple’s management firm and agency, Kensington Grey, handle their admin work. And, she loves to sleep in. Temi, on the other hand, wakes up early. He’s a Virgo. He loves a to-do list and regularly checks in on the couple’s brand partnerships spreadsheet to make sure everything is on track.
Because his storytelling was steeped in his love of technology, he didn’t always think of himself as a creative person. “Where I [am] the dreamer who wants to pluck things out of the sky and spend all day with my head in the clouds, Temi [is] so good at grounding me and helping me figure out how to make things make sense on paper. We just work together in such a complimentary way,” Skylar says.
It’s been more than six years since Brooklyn-based couple Temi and Skylar started dating, and nearly four since they cemented their working relationship. On TikTok and Instagram, the couple’s travel, fashion, and home content regularly rack up hundreds of thousands of views. They’ve worked with brands such as Coach, Aesop, Away, and Liquid IV, bringing their vibrant perspectives to every campaign they execute. Still, nearly two years since both Temi and Skylar committed to full-time content creation and creative directing, the couple says their romantic connection remains their priority.
“We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting,” Skylar says.
Working from home can make it hard to separate work from personal life for any entrepreneur. It can be even more challenging when your business partner is also your lover. Temi and Skylar had already used couples therapy as a tool to help them effectively communicate with one another. When they ran into challenges while working together, their therapist helped them set physical boundaries to help combat the issues.
"We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting."
“It actually took us doing very specific physical things to create boundaries between work and play in our relationship,” Skylar says. “So, for instance, we will only have conversations about work when we're out of bed or we're at the table or in the office. Initially, when we started, we had to light a candle to say that, 'Okay, this is a space where we're connecting, we’re not talking about work.' We needed really hard boundaries at the top. And then it became a little bit more organic.”
The boundaries have been crucial to implement, especially because the couple began working together so naturally. When the pair first met, Skylar was NY-based a social strategist for BuzzFeed and was using content creation to drive business to her lingerie company. She was shooting her own content. Temi was working for Microsoft in D.C. He’d recently traded in his DJing equipment for a camera. “I've always loved taking pictures,” he says. “Even when I was a kid, my African mother would wake me up at 3:00 a.m. [during a] party, and be like, 'Come take the family picture.'”
Growing up, Temi says he watched his parents support each other and be the true definition of partners. He knew he wanted the same for his own relationship. But, the couple also wanted to make sure they were being financially responsible. The pair didn’t quit their traditional jobs until they’d saved up two years' worth of their cost of living. And, Temi received his Master of Business Administration from New York University with the knowledge that it could either help him advance in his corporate career or be applicable to his business with Skylar.
Temi and SkylarCj Hart @hartbreakToday, they say their working relationship is more of a “quiet dance.” They still implement some of the boundaries they learned in therapy, but they also lean into their natural strengths and deep love for one another. When we speak, Temi has planned a date for the couple to see Princess Mononoke in 4K IMAX and added it to their Notion so they can factor it into their busy schedules. “I fully plan to date for the rest of my life,” he says.
Skylar says the couple doesn’t just wait for date nights to check in with one another, though. This often happens in the mornings, after Temi has made her peppermint tea and poured himself a cup of coffee. When they ask each other how they slept, she says, it’s not just a “nicety.” It’s a genuine question meant to foster connection.
“A lot of it happens during the day in the midst of work. We'll stop and we'll hug. Or we’ll slow dance in the kitchen,” she says. “Sometimes it's hard to set a whole date night when you have 7,000 things going on. So, we must grasp these moments and check in when we can. And I think it's become so organic to us that I actually didn't even realize how often we do it. But all day long, we're like, 'Are you good? I felt like your energy shifted,' because we're best friends, we just know. We just feel it happen.”
What’s better than being in love? Building wealth while doing it. Watch Making Cents here for real stories of couples who make money moves together.
Featured image by Cj Hart @hartbreak