grad school?

If I'm still stable and have paid off a fair amount of my undergrad loans in 5-10 years I'm planning on going to grad school. I don't need to do it for my career, I just enjoy learning and feel like I missed out on my undergrad because I was so sick through the majority of it. But it's unknown if the pressures of college are what made my illness so bad these past 5 years, or if it was just the hormonal shift young woman go through, or what, because from senior year of high school to sophomore year of college I was completely stable, no meds, no therapy. So of course I'm a bit concerned about going back to academia, even thinking that far ahead. I was just wondering if some of you could tell me your stories of dealing with mental illness in grad school, to give me some idea of what I'm up against.

I look forward to reading this thread as well since I start grad school in a few weeks. I'm worried about handling it as well!

I got my second degree when I was 57 and then went straight on to grad school. I did not have the grades in 1972 when I got my first degree and things were much different back then, both grades and health mattered, they could ask you on your application form if you'd ever had treatment for a mental illness, etc. and lying was not an option for me. My second degree and grad school were completely online, which I preferred. I dropped out of grad school though, it was not the subject I really wanted and I had health problems, etc. so I took the money and started a different project.

I would see how you feel when you feel you are ready and interested? Things keep changing with the technology and subjects to be studied, where and how, etc. In 5-10 years it could be a whole different world we can't imagine now?

I was in grad school during a fairly stable period of my life. And by "stable" I mean not depressed or suicidal. There was some stress, but not much. If the coursework had been more difficult, I can imagine that the stress and pressure would have aggravated my mental health issues.

I'd be studying theater costuming, which is mostly historical. Technology in sewing hasn't changed all that much compared to the rest of the world, so that's not a big part of the equation. Unless by then someone invents costumes that can sew themselves, I'll be in need of classes and have a career.

MFA at Wayne State? http://theatre.wayne.edu/mfa_curr.php#costume

Maybe you could go and meet some people, talk to some grad students going now and get a better feel for how it might be?

Actually I'm looking into the MFA at UNC Chapel Hill, I never want to live in MI again once I move to the south in January (I hate winter). I'm friends on social media with a professor there and have talked to her about their program and she posts her students work all the time so I have an idea what the work load is like. Like I said, it's mostly historical costuming, which is what my interest is in, so it looks like a good fit. I just don't know about things like studying for the GRE (my friend who is really smart, like genius, didn't get high enough scores to get into the schools she wanted to), and if it'll make me unstable again because I can't deal with that again.

You don't need the GRE (see middle of page): Department of Dramatic Art » Applying to the Program

Hello jenniy122, I started grad school in June, and it seemed that everything was going pretty well after a month. I can handle the work. I'm used to it, this isn't my problem. I've been suffering from anxiety as long as I can remember and from depression for about three years. I started school in an excellent state, I thought that my anxiety/depression was long gone. My problem is that I met someone and well.....it's a long story. What I'm really trying to say that yes, school will be stressful. Grad school demands much more. Keep this in mind; come to the realization that school related stress will happen, but if you keep in mind that that is what grad school is, then you will prepare yourself in anticipation. You know what you are capable. Set yourself time for everything: a time when you will dedicate to school only, a time for socializing, time for eating, time for sleeping (I don't go past 12). If you need and can quit your job, do it. You don't need other unnecessary stress. School load is manageable, my problem was something else. Problems at home, problems with relationships can make grad school much more difficult, especially when one is prone to anxiety/depression. Watch out for those too or at least have a coping mechanism because those problems arise out of nowhere. You'll be fine, just realize what you are capable of and then adjust.

Awesome! I didn't catch that when I read it, thanks!