College for me has been quite the journey. I started college the semester after graduating high school. I did consider taking time off in between high school and college but felt that I needed to just dive right in. My first semester of college was a great experience but I did have some struggles. I was pregnant with my daughter at the time. The pregnancy, an unexpected one, left me with many days of being sick and struggling to find the energy to goto class and do homework. I was also working a full time job on top of going to school. I had my daughter in February of 2008, just a few weeks into my second semester of college. Being a new mom and going to school was quite the experience. My teachers however were great and willing to work with me to keep up on the assignments. My mom and my boyfriend also were great help with taking care of Shelby so I could goto class and keep up on homework. Each semester following were also a challenge. I went back to work 6 weeks after having Shelby, but decided to do part time while school was in session. During the summer I took online classes and worked more so that I could save up to pay for bills during the school year. I am fortunate in that I qualified for government grants and also had quite a few scholarships. I prepared myself in high school so that I would be able to goto college and hopefully not have to pay for it. I also chose to live at home for my first two years in college and save on having to pay rent. My parents were amazing in letting Shelby and I live with them and help me in raising her.
Once I started nursing school I decided it was time to move out on my own. It has been quite different having my own place and not having my mom there to help with everything. I have a great boyfriend who is very helpful in watching the kids so I can do schoolwork. I had my son in November of 2010 during my second semester of nursing school. Second semester seems to be the most challenging semester of nursing school for most students and I just happened to plan having a baby during the time. It was difficult, but I definitely wouldn't trade my kids or the experience for anything.
As I get closer to graduating in December I do quite a bit of reflecting on my college experience. There are some things I would've done different had a known what I know now, but I don't have any regrets. I feel I've done the best I can with the circumstances that I have faced. I owe much of my success to both mine and my boyfriends family in helping us with our kids so that I could have the opportunity to go to nursing school.
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