When I announced to my husband in August of 2018 that I wanted to return to college, he was completely on board. With both of us interested in making it happen, I set to work on the logistics of it.
Nine months later, I started my first class at Slippery Rock University and I am now a full time student enrolled as a Public Health Major with plans to become a Physician Assistant.
I suppose this would be the appropriate time to mention that I am also the mother of four children (Violet-8, Ivy-6, Charlotte-4 and Leo-2) and am over seven months pregnant with my fifth (AND LAST) baby, Rosie. I am due December 17th and my last final is Dec. 11.
We’ll see how that goes.
I found out I was, ahem, with child, around two weeks before my first summer class began. And definitely thought about putting off school until after the baby.
However, I should also mention that I am a little bit old…er than most Sophomore college students and with the long path of becoming a PA ahead of me, I decided to truck through it.
For the most part, things have gone smoothly and the students in my classes have at least pretended to not be jarred by the sight of my big belly.
For the first month or so of classes, I was really going for that “I just ate a double meat burrito at Chipotle” look, and I would say that it was executed fairly well. But, now that I am approaching my last month of child bearing, there is no hiding it.
I often wonder if the people that sit next to me in class notice the feet and tiny baby butt that protrude through my sweatshirt as I attempt to listen to discussions about diversity and civil discourse.
I also wonder if the university has even considered the placement of an escalator leading from the lower level parking lots to the Eisenberg Classroom Building. Maybe one that specifically leads to MY parking spot? Because with the huffing and puffing I do on my way up the walkway, someone is sure to call for EMS for me one day. Not that I would be sad about that, either.
Yes, things are “different” as a pregnant, married, mom of four college student, but so far I am really enjoying my classes and the company of the students enrolled in them.
As a former writer for a local newspaper and perpetual complainer, I decided that blogging for The Rocket might be a fun opportunity. And even though every other body part I have seems to be failing me these days, my hands can still type, so I figured why not write?
Oh, and if you happen to see a full term pregnant lady lying flat on her back at the bottom/middle of the hill below the ECB, there is no need for medical back-up. I’m simply resting my swollen calves.
