Life as a student and a mum of two… If I can do it, so can you.

My name is Georgia McCalmont and I am in final year of my Communication Management and Public Relations course. I have decided to write this post to inform other mums who may feel like taking the plunge back into full-time education of how I got to here and also to encourage them that if I can do it, they can too.

After being a beauty therapist for ten years I began to feel that something was missing. As enjoyable as nails, make up, ‘de fuzzing’ and small talk was I just wanted more, something that made me think again.

I was aware that going back to full-time education with an eleven month old daughter was never going to be easy but I knew it was something I had to do, not only for me, but to create a good life for her too.

At twenty-six I didn’t see myself as ‘older’ or ‘too old’ to come to university… until my first day when I realised I was one of the oldest in the class. I had clearly also made the least effort with my attire that day as everyone seemed to be in their best autumnal gear, while I had my ‘mum bun’ and Weetabix on my jeans from that morning, which I’d tried to scrub off with a baby wipe in the car park before coming in. Note to self; ‘make more of an effort tomorrow’.

Once I started the course I made friends and discovered that I was actually able to finish a whole cup of HOT coffee here, Yay! Maybe it wasn’t going to be so bad after all. Having something to put my mind to and do for me felt absolutely amazing.

By the end of May first year was completed! All exams and essays done and dusted and it was summer! Woohoo! All finished and time to party, oh wait… You have a small child and another on the way. Yes, I know I still wonder how in amongst study, work and university we found time for that!

Panic set in, I questioned whether I should take a year out, give up or take the bull by the horns and power through. With exceptional support and guidance from lecturers and family I carried on into second year. At nine months pregnant I dreaded any classes that were more than a flight of stairs away!

When Louisa was six weeks old I came back to university to complete second year. I will not sugar coat it, it was hell on earth. A two-year old, a six-week old and a s**t load of catching up to do. Needless to say, without the help of rose wine I don’t think I would be here to write this post.

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The picture below is exactly what trying to complete second year was like me. It shows Farrah on top of my notes while a six-week-old baby is being rocked in a Moses basket with my other foot. All this while I study for exams! I’m not in this picture because I was crying, I’m joking I wasn’t really but I should have been!

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I got there in the end, second year finished,  and now it was summer and I had four months ahead of me to enjoy as a family. – I won’t lie, I was possibly ready to come back to uni after four days!!

I am now in final year and I’ve got the hang of managing home life and studying with help and support from everyone around me.

 

 

 

So for any mums thinking of going back to education, here is my summary:

 

  • Go for it, take the first step and register.
  • You will be able to find the time, leave the housework to another day and let the kids watch numerous episodes of ‘Peppa Pig’ on repeat while you do what you have to.
  • You get a lot more time at home with the children…. (if that’s what you’re into.)
  • People stop making as much of an effort with their attire after the first couple of weeks, so don’t be rushing out and spending a fortune on the latest Gucci coat. Your unwashed ‘mum bun’ will go unnoticed by the beginning of October.
  • Wine cures every possible problem you may come across, just one glass though! (Yea right, finish the bottle.)
  • The sense of achievement you feel is mind-blowing and definitely so worth all the hard days and hard work you’ve put in.

 

Georgia McCalmont is a final year BSc in Communication Management and Public Relations student at Ulster University.  She can be contacted on Twitter @04Georgia or Instagram @georgiamac26.