Question for vet techs?

You certainly don't want your grades to suffer because you are too busy/tired for homework/studying. On the other hand, having clinical experience helped me immensely on the VTNE. My advice would be to quit your bartending job and get a job in a veterinary hospital. If you've never worked in clinics before it might be a good idea to give it a try and see if you even like it. It might also help you decide between large/small animal or exotics.