My morning routine has been the same for a few years now. Generally, I go about life on my own schedule. The experience has been good for me. All of this is possible because I don’t have someone else to worry about while I make my way through college.
I have a few friends who have attempted college while raising children. They always seemed drained and often weren’t able to take the classes they wanted to. I couldn’t imagine what they were going through and what they had to give up every day to make it through their semesters.
I have been lucky enough to be free from the responsibility of child rearing during my time in college, and when comparing my life to my peers who have children, I feel like I’m in a good place.
Though nothing to can compare to the unconditional love for a child, I happen to think sleeping in comes quite close. There’s also having the afternoons to yourself and being able to watch whatever you want on the TV as you relax in the evenings.
I can barely juggle work, a social life and school. Taking care of offspring would only complicate my life to the point of insanity.
I do, however, have the highest respect for my peers that can successfully navigate college while taking care of a child, or in some cases, children. The drive and perseverance that it takes to do that is almost mind boggling. And by the looks of some parents, it probably does boggle the mind.
Maybe the drive for creating a better life for your child is what is needed to complete college, and my lack of responsibility is dragging me down. I’ll never know if that’s the case, but I doubt that putting me in charge of another human life would be the wisest choice for anyone, especially that little boy or girl.
Vanessa Perkins is not only a college student, but a single mother. She works hard and raises her son as well as she can. That’s not the path I want for myself, but I won’t criticize her for the path she is on.
College is an experience, and one that should be used to learn as much as you can about the world and the people in it. It’s a place where preconceptions should be shattered and your long held beliefs questioned.
Having a child may complicate that, or it may enrich the whole experience. I’ll never know.
My life seems fine without a child though, and that’s enough to keep me going through my days.
Cameron Simek is the Opinions editor for the UVU Review at Utah Valley University. He can be reached at camsimek@gmail.com, and on twitter @Skabomb. www.uvureview.com
