2008 Woodie Awards
Hendrix Student, Single Mom
Diana Stogner
Issue date: 2/10/06 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
I am a single mom, work twenty hours a week, and I am a full-time student at Hendrix. Each of these is a job in and of itself, but when you put them all together, you have the job description of wonder woman.
I came to Hendrix as a transfer student this past fall, and am so thankful that I am at Hendrix. This is a wonderful school with so much to offer. I started my college career at Pulaski Technical College in Little Rock because I didn't think it would be possible for me to come to Hendrix; I really didn't expect Hendrix to be so helpful on the financial aid end of things. But here I am at Hendrix. I applied because it was the school I had always wanted to go to.
A lot of people ask me why I didn't just go to a state-funded college that is cheaper and much easier academically. I sometimes wonder that myself. But I wanted to prove to many people that single parents don't have to give up just because they have a child. I also wanted to prove that not only can we do it, but we can do it at one of the best colleges and maintain a high GPA.
There are so many negative people in this world that think being a parent is a hindrance. But, being a parent makes me that much better of a person. I can't imagine my life without my son. He is the reason I am in college. He is my motivation. He keeps me going. He gives me purpose and hope for the future.
Don't get me wrong; it's not always easy. It is actually the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. Being the sole caregiver to another person is not a job to be taken lightly.
My daily routine consists of not only getting myself ready for the day, but also my son. When ready, we hop in the car and we are off to school. I drop him off at a local daycare and head for Hendrix. I go to class for a few hours everyday and then I am off to work. I work until 5:00 or so and then I'm off to pick up my son. I speak with his teacher and see how his day was, and then head home.
We talk about our day as we make the drive. We get home and I cook dinner as he watches cartoons. When dinner is ready, we eat. After dinner, I work on schoolwork and he plays in his room. Later, we take our baths and get ready for bed. I tuck him in with a bedtime story, and then I work on the rest of my schoolwork for the day. When I am too tired to stay awake any longer, I crawl into bed and go to sleep. This is what occurs on a good day when nothing extra comes up. However, they seldom occur just as planned.
Being a mother is not easy. You not only have to consider how your actions are going to affect your own life, but also how they are going to affect your child's life. I made the decision to come to Hendrix not only for myself, but for my son as well. I knew that in order for me to give him the best life I could that I had to reach for the stars. I have to attempt for the best for both our lives.
Life for a student with responsibilities like mine can be difficult. What may be surprising to many people at Hendrix is that I am not the only one here at Hendrix that has these difficulties. There are some people who have it much harder than me. I thank God every day for giving me my son, and the strength and opportunity to be here at Hendrix.
I came to Hendrix as a transfer student this past fall, and am so thankful that I am at Hendrix. This is a wonderful school with so much to offer. I started my college career at Pulaski Technical College in Little Rock because I didn't think it would be possible for me to come to Hendrix; I really didn't expect Hendrix to be so helpful on the financial aid end of things. But here I am at Hendrix. I applied because it was the school I had always wanted to go to.
A lot of people ask me why I didn't just go to a state-funded college that is cheaper and much easier academically. I sometimes wonder that myself. But I wanted to prove to many people that single parents don't have to give up just because they have a child. I also wanted to prove that not only can we do it, but we can do it at one of the best colleges and maintain a high GPA.
There are so many negative people in this world that think being a parent is a hindrance. But, being a parent makes me that much better of a person. I can't imagine my life without my son. He is the reason I am in college. He is my motivation. He keeps me going. He gives me purpose and hope for the future.
Don't get me wrong; it's not always easy. It is actually the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. Being the sole caregiver to another person is not a job to be taken lightly.
My daily routine consists of not only getting myself ready for the day, but also my son. When ready, we hop in the car and we are off to school. I drop him off at a local daycare and head for Hendrix. I go to class for a few hours everyday and then I am off to work. I work until 5:00 or so and then I'm off to pick up my son. I speak with his teacher and see how his day was, and then head home.
We talk about our day as we make the drive. We get home and I cook dinner as he watches cartoons. When dinner is ready, we eat. After dinner, I work on schoolwork and he plays in his room. Later, we take our baths and get ready for bed. I tuck him in with a bedtime story, and then I work on the rest of my schoolwork for the day. When I am too tired to stay awake any longer, I crawl into bed and go to sleep. This is what occurs on a good day when nothing extra comes up. However, they seldom occur just as planned.
Being a mother is not easy. You not only have to consider how your actions are going to affect your own life, but also how they are going to affect your child's life. I made the decision to come to Hendrix not only for myself, but for my son as well. I knew that in order for me to give him the best life I could that I had to reach for the stars. I have to attempt for the best for both our lives.
Life for a student with responsibilities like mine can be difficult. What may be surprising to many people at Hendrix is that I am not the only one here at Hendrix that has these difficulties. There are some people who have it much harder than me. I thank God every day for giving me my son, and the strength and opportunity to be here at Hendrix.