College is supposed to be a time where one is free of commitment. Free to do as you please without fear of reproach, or enduring consequences. Motherhood, by contrast, is a time where a woman is hyper aware of her actions because there is a sentient being they helped bring into the world that they are now responsible for. Both are rewarding times, but usually function at the opposite end of adulthood. So what happens when these opposing worlds collide? We had a conversation with two amazing GSU moms to discuss some highs and lows of being a mommy in college.
What is the best part of being a Mother in College?
“The best part of motherhood in college is knowing that I’m getting a degree to better my child [Kamari, aged 6] and I. Knowing there is a reward at the end keeps me going.”- Jazmyne, 22
“I think the best part is that I get to share the love of friends and family with my daughter, [Jamiya, aged 5]. She gets to see that you can do anything you put your mind to and reciprocate the love that I get from everyone else.” -Jaylah, 22
What is the hardest part of being a mom in college?
“As a freshman, it was finding that balance. It was a little bit overwhelming, but it’s do-able. I’m a student, I’m a mother and I am an employee. There was a time when there just never seemed to be enough hours in the day.” -Jaylah
“Time management is my biggest problem, but having enough assistance is a problem too. I don’t have enough time and when you don’t have enough assistance, it’s difficult. Some of these universities don’t have the assistance you need for your child and it makes it hard.” -Jazmyne
How has this experience helped you evolve as a person?
“I evolved to see that I had to grow up. I had to mature because there is someone dependent on me as a person. It slowed me down, I had to look at the bigger picture.”-Jazmyne
“I feel like I can do anything now. It made me evolve to be a person who is very efficient and concise. Now, everything about me is efficient and concise; I’m a efficient and concise person now. I can really do every thing now after this experience.”- Jaylah
What is the biggest myth you want to clarify about motherhood in college?
“I think a lot of people look at me and think I’m the exception for teen pregnancy and I’m not. We’re all in this together and we have to support each other. When I had my child, I was a junior in high school and I still managed to get a 3.79 GPA and was ranked #26 in my class. Even now, I have maintained the HOPE Scholarship, but it was a challenge. I’m not a fairytale, there is a way around everything. If there is a dream, you will chase it.”-Jaylah
“Some people think it’s easy, but it’s not. They watch Teen Mom and think it’s so simple. You have to have patience, you have to do your school work, you have to reinforce what your child learns at school. You have to cook dinner, take care of someone else. You have to do it all and it’s not easy to balance.” -Jazmyne
Do you have a piece of advice for other women who are moms in college?
“Get an agenda or a planner, if she doesn’t have one. Make sure she has a good support system and stay prayerful. I feel these things were critical to my success in college.”- Jaylah
“Be patient. Practice patience. Write everything down. Set up your goals weekly, monthly and don’t be broad so that they’re not overwhelming. Put your child on a schedule, as well. There are going to be times when you have to study late and you have to be able to keep a schedule to keep up.”- Jazmyne
Who was your role model?
“I looked up to my aunt who raised me. She taught me how to set up a budget, how to put my son on a schedule. She helped me become the mother I am.”- Jazmyne
“I didn’t have one. I wish I did because when times got hard, I wish I did have someone to look up to. I did, however, have my family and friends as a support system.” -Jaylah
Do you think there are any limits when you are a mom in college?
“I wouldn’t say that there is a limit, educationally. There is definitely a limit in extracurriculars. When people are going out Thursdays and late nights, I have to be home because my daughter has another day of school the next day.”- Jaylah
Motherhood is a beautiful thing and it takes a special kind of a woman to balance as a mother in college. If you have a young mother in your life, be there for her and be understanding of the many tasks that come with being a young mother. She’s our generations Superhero.