Teenage Single Parent: Struggling to Balance College and Parenthood - Essay Sample

Introduction

When I first joined college, I found it hard to balance my studies and taking care of my son. Being a teenage single parent is one of the hardest experiences I ever went through in my life. I would work so many hours trying to provide for him leaving so much little time to my studies. Although at school I still tried my best to work hard, my main focus was my son. I would miss so many classes and had so many failing grades. This eventually led to my dismissal from the University of South Florida (USF) in the Spring of 2005. This was rock bottom for me. I was depressed and felt that nothing was working out for me no matter how much I tried to put effort into it. My son was my only source of joy in my life and the fact that I could not provide for him everything he wanted just made it harder for me emotionally.

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I eventually picked myself up and decided that I will take full control over my life. I worked several jobs at a time intending to save up for a nursing college. I wanted to have enough money to enroll in college and be able to take care of my son while there. After a while, I felt I had enough money. I enrolled at Galen Health Institute where I obtained licensures as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and Registered Nurse (RN). This was a major win for me. Although it was still difficult for me to balance, I was able to manage it. This opened up more doors for me. I could now apply for nursing jobs and at the same time. It also placed me in a position where I could further my studies. I practiced nursing for a while in several health centers as I saved up to enroll for a bachelor’s degree.

I enrolled for a Bachelor of Nursing degree at the State College of Florida where I have been ever since. I am expecting to graduate this fall. It has not been easy for me. I have had a lot of problems along the way. I have had fees problems, I have struggled to provide for my son, I have also had problems balancing everything together but at the end of it all, I have been able to make it. I have been retaking several classes such as anatomy and physiology with lab II as I try to improve my grade from a C aiming for an A and overall, first-class honors. I have also been taking Biochemistry at Geneva College. This is a topic that I have had an interest in and decided to do it. It also shows my passion and willingness to want to further my science studies at CRNA School.

Upon reflection on my academic dismissal and everything that has happened ever since I realize that the experience made me work harder and not just in academics but in life. I was at a point where I was only living for my son and had no other motivation in life and that is a place I never want to go back to. The journey has not been easy. I have learned that nothing in this world will ever come easy. You have to work for something you love to get it. I have worked hard to attain good grades but for me, it is not just about the grades. Nursing is a passion for me. It has been ever since I can remember and even though I have had a lot of rough patches along the way, I am on the course of achieving what I have always dreamt of.