The Best Of Both Worlds

In less than three weeks, I'll be finished with grad school and I couldn't be happier. This semester has been super hectic and my workload has been crazy stressful.

Not to mention that my babysitter recently found a job, which has made it quite tricky for me to attend all my evening classes. In fact, I've taken Aiden to class with me twice already this semester, but only to classes that I knew he'd enjoy and more importantly, classes that I knew the Professors would enjoy him. Next week, he may have to accompany me to one more class if I don't secure a baby sitter. At such a young age, he's learning how to hustle with me. But I digress.

Even though I've been over-caffienated and over-tired since grad school started, I cannot believe that I am about to be done. D-O-N-E stick-a-fork-in-it-and-give-me-my-two-degrees done!

I cannot believe that I did it while taking care of a child. Many of you may know this already, but my pregnancy was not planned. And being young, hip, and fresh out of college made it that much harder to deal with Motherhood.

I watched with a hint jealousy as my peers partied, socialized, and made moves to further their careers by studying for the GMAT's and LSAT's, applying to grad school, and attending conferences.

I wanted to do that too. But for some reason, I felt as though I couldn't. I felt my dreams slipping away from me. Slowly, but surely.

But one day, something clicked inside of me and I made a change. I started to make time for me and my aspirations... right in the midst of Motherhood.

I didn't take weeks to fill out my grad school applications and write an admissions essays. I didn't have the luxury of that much time. I completed my applications in one weekend during Aiden's nap hours. Multi-tasking at its finest -- #Winning.

And grad school has taught this single mama to multi-task like it's nobody's business. I stay on my grind. I've learned to manage my time well. I've learned to bang out papers in a specific amount of time instead of waiting until the last minute. I simply don't have time to procrastinate. I've got a preschooler who needs my undivided attention by day, and schoolwork that needs my undivided attention by night. I've got bedtime rituals to enforce and a forehead to kiss when Aiden's scared of the ghosts at night.

I schedule play dates and study sessions; doctor visits and meetings with Professors; time with Aiden and time with friends. I deal with research papers and potty training; exams and effective discipline strategies.

I’ve learned to go hard or go home. I have to. It's the only way to go.

It has taken me a while to get to this particular point in my life, but now I see that it's all about perspective. Life may not be what I planned, but I gotta tell ya, it's some kind of awesome.

My younger friends are busy working hard, player harder, and tirelessly pursuing their career goals. My older friends are busy enjoying their families and reaping the rewards of their former hard work.

I get to enjoy both. I get to pursue my career goals while navigating Mommy Land. It's hard and tiring and stressful at times, but at the end of the day, it's a blessing that I wouldn't trade.

It's the best of both worlds. And it has taught me well.

I may be a bit tired, but I'm determined to finish strong. I can't stop, won't stop until I am done. And totally #Winning.