post # 4 - Kristina Hanson

I really haven't had too much peer pressure in College. I'm not a traditional student.  I moved here from Germany when I was 21 years old and started taking classes about 6 months after. However, I only took about 6 credit hours a semester and worked full-time.  In regards to finances, at first it was hard as my husband was going to College full-time and working part-time and I made okay money, but not a lot.  I was always paying for the classes as I went.  I changed majors several times (Business, Accounting, IT to finally Nursing), soI have taken classes I don't need for my current degree program I'm in.  My parents and husband have been supportive.  My parents are very proud of me doing so good with English being my second language.  I never had a student loan until I went to school for the LPN.  I didn't work then and took a bigger load (program lasted 10 month and was about 16 hours per semester).  For my prerequisites for Washburn, I did pay as I went (credit cards), but now in the nursing program, tuition is too high to pay for it as I go.  So I do have a student loan, which I don't like to have.  I don't experience any peer pressure in my classes.  I think we have a great class of 80+ students.  I haven't met anybody who is not nice or willing to help.  A lot better atmosphere than I had in the LPN program.  I really do feel supported by friends and family.  Everyone has been great.  My husband is doing more of the household chores to help and my friends help with the kids.  My parents are in Germany, so they can't really help that much, besides being supportive on the phone.  They will however, come next week and help me for 3 weeks, which will be very nice.