{"id":2816,"date":"2025-01-14T09:44:27","date_gmt":"2025-01-14T17:44:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=2816"},"modified":"2025-06-25T08:19:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T15:19:51","slug":"work-life-school-balance-esteban-contreras","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/work-life-school-balance-esteban-contreras\/","title":{"rendered":"Balancing work, family and college: My journey as a 33-year-old full-time student"},"content":{"rendered":"

Unwavering discipline and strong support system enable Oregon State online learner to succeed \u2014 and then some<\/h2>\n

When I first decided to return to school, I knew it wouldn\u2019t be easy. Being a 33-year-old college student with two kids, a full-time job, and countless responsibilities meant that every hour of my day had to be planned with precision.<\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t just going back to school for myself \u2014 I was doing it for my family, to show my kids that hard work and perseverance can push you through even the most demanding challenges.<\/p>\n

My alarm goes off at 5:20 a.m. There\u2019s no snoozing. I have to be at work by 6 a.m. sharp. As an environmental compliance inspector for the City of Lodi in California, my job takes me between water and wastewater treatment plants, ensuring that regulations are met to protect our community\u2019s health and environment.<\/p>\n

By the time I clock out at 3:30 p.m., I\u2019ve already had a full day, but my responsibilities don\u2019t stop there as I need to go to my second job \u2013 my family.<\/p>\n

From 5 to 5:30 p.m., I cook dinner and eat with my family. This is one of the most important parts of my day, as this is a moment to connect with my wife and kids before I dive back into my studies. As soon as we\u2019re done, I carve out time for homework and studying, balancing it with family time until the kids go to bed at 8 p.m. Once they\u2019re asleep, I push myself for a few more hours, trying to absorb as much as I can before finally calling it a night at 11 p.m.<\/p>\n

For the past three years learning online with Oregon State University, I\u2019ve maintained a 3.75 GPA while earning multiple scholarships and three consecutive honor roll recognitions. Every late night, every sacrificed weekend and every early morning has been worth it because I refuse to let obstacles stand in my way.<\/p>\n

But none of this would have been possible without my wife. We\u2019ve been married for almost 10 years, and through every long night, every stressful exam, and every deadline, she has been my rock. She has held down the fort, supported me when I felt overwhelmed, and reminded me why I started this journey in the first place.<\/p>\n

Her unwavering belief in me has been my greatest motivation.<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t be more grateful for the amount of support my family has given me. It\u2019s been an intense three years, but I can finally see the finish line. While I\u2019m proud of what I\u2019ve accomplished, I\u2019m also looking forward to something I haven\u2019t had in a long time: time.<\/p>\n

Time to enjoy life with my wife and kids without the constant weight of school hanging over me.<\/p>\n

\n

Discover how Esteban and other members of the Ecampus Student Advisory Board impact the online student experience at Oregon State University, and read about eligibility and participation requirements.<\/em><\/p>\n

Learn about the Student Advisory Board<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 2<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>When I first decided to return to school, I knew it wouldn\u2019t be easy. Being a 33-year-old college student with two kids, a full-time job, and countless responsibilities meant that every hour of my day had to be planned with precision.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":2790,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,672,677,8],"tags":[205,146,698],"class_list":["post-2816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-learning-experience","category-students-and-alumni","category-students","tag-college-of-earth-ocean-and-atmospheric-sciences","tag-environmental-sciences","tag-student-advisory-board-blog-series"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/In-their-words-Esteban-Contreras-250602-v17.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-Jq","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1319,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/environmental-sciences-online-heath-blackmon\/","url_meta":{"origin":2816,"position":0},"title":"Oregon State Everywhere: \u2018My Ecampus degree gave me an edge\u2019","author":"Heath Blackmon","date":"January 17, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\"The quality and the rigor of courses that I took at Ecampus were on par with any in-person class and prepared me for a future in science. Even though my classes were taken at a distance, the professors built learning activities that gave me firsthand experience in analyzing and interpreting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Heath Blackmon, Oregon State University Ecampus environmental sciences graduate and assistant professor at Texas A&M University","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Heath-Blackmon-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Heath-Blackmon-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Heath-Blackmon-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Heath-Blackmon-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2738,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/esteban-contreras-upcea-student-award\/","url_meta":{"origin":2816,"position":1},"title":"Student’s sacrifices lead to a ‘deeply rewarding’ experience \u2014\u00a0and a national award","author":"Esteban Contreras","date":"March 26, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Family support, perseverance and student club engagement have helped Esteban Contreras thrive while pursuing his environmental sciences degree online Editor's note: In March 2025, Oregon State University's Esteban Contreras received the outstanding student national award from UPCEA in honor of his achievement of excellence in pursuit of an education. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Oregon State University student Esteban Contreras stands with his wife and two young children on a wooden walkway surrounded by tall, green foliage.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Esteban-Contreras-ENSC-800x450-2.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Esteban-Contreras-ENSC-800x450-2.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Esteban-Contreras-ENSC-800x450-2.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Esteban-Contreras-ENSC-800x450-2.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1227,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/military-student-online-taniah-johnson\/","url_meta":{"origin":2816,"position":2},"title":"With her diploma in hand, military veteran puts self-doubt to rest","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"August 19, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Taniah Johnson didn\u2019t think she was smart enough for college. Just the thought of applying to learn online with Oregon State University Ecampus intimidated her. But she had something to prove \u2013 to herself and everyone else. 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Education is an investment in yourself, and you are worth it. 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Now I'm enrolled in Oregon State's online master's program in geography and geospatial science online. I plan on using these credentials to work\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"An outdoor selfie of Oregon State University student Melissa Croteau, kneeling in front of a dry, rocky hill adorned with small green shrubs and trees.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/melissa-croteau-ensc-alum.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/melissa-croteau-ensc-alum.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/melissa-croteau-ensc-alum.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/melissa-croteau-ensc-alum.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1201,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/sahm-earns-degree-online\/","url_meta":{"origin":2816,"position":5},"title":"In life\u2019s busiest season, Oregon State Ecampus offers adaptable paths to career success","author":"Erin J. Bernard","date":"June 10, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Anticipating an eventual return to the workforce, stay-at-home mom Heather Reding went searching for an online program that offered practical support and quality coursework in equal measure. 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