Mom in College, One More Time…Maybe?

For the past several years, I have gone back and forth about pursuing a PhD. I applied to one program before the pandemic but based on how the program director communicated with me, I knew I'd receive a rejection letter. All the same, holding the letter in my hand many months later still stung a …

Self-Care is a MUST: How experiencing Postpartum depression for a second time made me a self-advocate.

It's an ugly place to be - one where you feel alone and isolated from everyone, really. You can't sleep or you sleep too much. You can't eat or you can't stop eating. You cry. You panic. You feel angry, sad, confused, and overwhelmed all in one breath. You contemplate your life - you begin …

Burnout: What to do when it happens

It's official: I am burnt out. I want to be done with college. I don't want to write any more essays. I just want to work and take care of my family. It took a decade, but it finally happened. Does this sound familiar? If so, I have a few pieces of advice that I …

Hurdles for Moms in College: Overcoming an Inferiority Complex

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that, if not every one, than most people have experienced the struggle of an inferiority complex. I know I did at one point, early on in my college education. At times, it rears its ugly head, but I've learned to overcome the complex and come …

Diary of a Mom in College: Postpartum Depression

  I've been through this before. Not exactly this, but a much worse version of postpartum depression (PPD) after my second child. Because I have been through it, I started noticing symptoms a few months ago and did my best to cope: meditation, rest, reading, etc. However, I am not able to cope as well …

Diary of a Mom in College: The Announcement I Never Thought I’d Be Making Again

I've spent the first 4 weeks of this semester sick as a dog. S-I-C-K but not the normal kind of sick. Instead, over Christmas I discovered that my life would be changing once again by a fourth child and final addition to my family! Yes, I am pregnant! However, even before I found this out I was keenly …

Hurdles for Moms in College: I’m an Impostor

One day I just know that everyone will find me out -- they will come to realize I am a complete fraud. I have no place mentoring moms in college and I certainly have no place in front of a college English class. I can't possibly have earned my degree because I am capable, but …

Friends with Max: Bridging the Gap Between Traditional and Nontraditional Students

Max and I started off as colleagues  on the Pearson Student Advisory Board. To be honest, I didn't really take the time to get to know him personally in the beginning because I was incredibly intimidated not only by him but by all my co-board members. After all, I was the only one in my …

Coping with Post-Semester Depression (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

When I was 20 years old I was diagnosed with social and generalized anxiety disorder. I don’t tell many people about it because I am often embarrassed by the condition. Also, a lot of people don’t understand what it means, and some people don’t believe it exists at all.  Most of you have seen the social media posts about …

Don’t Try to be Like Everyone Else because You Aren’t

I go through these phases during the semester where at times I feel like just another student no different than the person next to me and then other days I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. I become hyper-aware of my surroundings and suddenly every single traditional student I pass is judging …