September 2026 "More Than a Stick Figure: My Journey as a Student-Mother" By Estefani Gordillo

College is a new experience. A new community that includes diversity in people, interests, and hobbies. A community that goes beyond our reach in understanding. A place where so many stick figures walk back and forth to different doors, going to different classes, working different jobs, and living completely different lives, where no one understands how many steps it took the other person to get to that class. We see people walking through the hallways, sitting in classrooms, and completing assignments, but we do not always know the story behind the person sitting next to us. College was never designed to be about anything other than getting your education. But with time, the world evolved, and human brains began to realize that so many types of people are truly dedicated to their education, and sometimes life does the most to get in the way of education. People have families, jobs, responsibilities, struggles, and challenges that are not always visible.

For some students, going to class is not simply going to class. It may mean finding childcare, working a shift before or after school, making sure there is food at home, or trying to finish an assignment after everyone else has gone to sleep. Being a mother, student, and employee is not for the weak! Good news is no one in this world is weak, so this is manageable. Hard, but manageable. I am a mother of one adorable baby boy, and let me tell you, it has been extremely challenging trying to juggle my role as a mother, student, and employee. There are days when I feel like I am being pulled in three different directions. As a mother, my baby depends on me. He needs my attention, love, time, and care. As a student, I have assignments, deadlines, exams, and responsibilities that require my focus. As an employee, I have another responsibility that requires me to show up, work hard, and give my best effort. Trying to balance all three can sometimes feel impossible.

There are moments when I question how I am going to get everything done. There are assignments I have to complete while my baby is sleeping. There are times when I am tired from working but still have schoolwork waiting for me. There are also moments when I simply want to rest, but I know that there is something else that needs to be done. It can be exhausting, but I remind myself why I started. My son is one of the biggest reasons I continue. I want him to see that his mother worked hard for her education and never gave up, even when things became difficult. I want him to grow up knowing that challenges do not mean you have to quit. Sometimes challenges simply mean you have to learn how to move differently.

Being a college student while raising a child has also taught me patience, time management, responsibility, and strength. I have learned that success does not always look perfect. Sometimes success is simply turning in the assignment, showing up to class, completing a work shift, and making it home to your child. Sometimes success is getting through a difficult day and trying again the next morning.

College is filled with people from different backgrounds and different walks of life. We may all look like stick figures walking through different doors, but every person has a story that we may never know. Some students are carrying responsibilities that are invisible to everyone around them. That is why I believe we should have more understanding for one another. I know there are so many mothers who share the same or similar story as mine and if there is anything I wish for you to get out of this story, is to keep on coming back.