I remember feeling nervous and feeling like I could not make it on my own. I had planned to attend college right after graduating high school to start studying what I thought would be the best financially fit career—Nursing. Wanting to be successful and rich one day was my motivation, but, after a couple of years, I could not stay focused in my studies. I failed a couple of Nursing classes, quit a couple of part-time gigs, and had some at-home issues that I had to deal with, too. I began to lose motivation and I constantly questioned myself as to why I had this feeling of unhappiness. Then, I realized I did not truly want to be a nurse—it was not my passion. My passion was always education; I wanted to be a teacher. It was confirmed when I had listened to a motivational speaker say that if you follow your passion, success would follow. This was what drove me to my next journey—studying Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Then, I got pregnant. Should I drop out of college and care for my baby? Could I handle being pregnant, working, and studying at the same time? What if this…and…what if that? These kinds of questions overwhelmed my mind, until I decided that I needed to keep pushing (no pun intended!). I was that pregnant lady pacing and wobbling around campus and snacking in almost every class! I had refused to quit then. Luckily, I had my healthy baby and passed my classes. I proved to myself that, if I set my mind to doing something, I could do whatever I wanted and how ever I wanted.
Today, through trial-and-error, I have found my balance in life with my toddler, part-time work, and full-time college schedule. However, none of this could be accomplished without a good support system. It is nearly impossible to make it strictly alone. Whether your support group is your parents, significant other, mentor, family, friends, etc. find someone who can tell you to stay positive during tough times. My advice as a college student and a new mom is to find your passion and do not stop until you are where you want to be in life (no matter what happens). Although I do not regret my trials and errors because they have shaped me into who I am today, I wish I knew what I know now.
