Your Mom Goes to College

—by Hillary Handy

In the 2004 indie comedic film “Napoleon Dynamite”, one of the characters Kip, throws, a diss at his brother Napoleon, saying “Your Mom Goes to College.” It was meant to be an insult like a classic “Your Mom” comment and didn’t totally land in the offensive department, but somehow that one-liner has stuck in my subconscious all these years later. 

Is it strange for a mom to go to college? There was a time where there was a bit of a stigma with women of a certain age pursuing post-secondary education, whether it be the age factor, the leaving of the home and neglecting the maternal role, having borderline existential crises… I do think that there has been a bit of a shift, and it is less of an “thing” in the modern-day context. Well, the time has come for this mom to go back to college. And I don’t want Kip to try to diss me!

Being in my later thirties, I am having those midlife questions and quandaries, wondering “What do I want to do when I grow up?”. You see, I’m not 36…in my mind. I’m probably 20 or so. I’m definitely not old enough to have children or even drive or have a job…and yet, somehow, here I am. 

All that is to say, in this season of wondering what to do with myself, I had many people speak into my life, suggesting that I pursue additional post-secondary education for a new role. So, I’m doing it. I did the hardest part and that was to make the decision to apply. I recognize that not everyone is able to do this. Post-secondary pursuits require time, finances, and capacity. 

So, if you’re in a similar situation to me, you need to really evaluate if the short-term pain is worth the long-term gain. For me and my family, it is manageable, but will require some juggling of all the things with a reduced income, finding childcare, and having an increased mental maternal load. I am very thankful and privileged to have a husband that is willing and able to support me in this endeavor. But it will be challenging, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. 

So, whether you’re a mom or not, you’ve completed prior post-secondary education or it’s your first time, and you’re in a season of self-evaluation…I’m here to tell you, take the first step and apply. If you’re wondering if you can do it, you can. Is it the right time? It might be! 

We are so fortunate to have access to Orillia’s own Lakehead University and Georgian College. Having these institutions in the North Simcoe Region is a huge opportunity for in-person learning. But with the rise of online learning, you can actually pursue a TON of programs from the comfort of your own home, regardless of where the institution is geographically located. You can do one course at a time, working towards accreditation while employed, have a part-time course load or commit to a full-time schedule. 

I also was pleasantly surprised to see I was not the only mom in my program! Cheers to the moms who are taking big steps to make changes for the trajectory of their families! 

To test the waters, I have been doing some online courses in an attempt to see if I could in fact juggle work, children, managing a household and homework. The asynchronous learning format made it easy for me to do a quiz at 10 pm when the kids were asleep and write my papers when the kids were watching TV.  The switch to in-person, full-time learning will be a challenge for me, but I know it will be worth it in the end. 

I also hope, during this new venture, that my children can see the value in education and that we can all do hard things. I strive to be a lifelong learner. I love reading for fun. I love writing. I love exploring. I love history. I hope that I can model the importance of academia and the different forms learning can come in, so that my children will pursue what they love, knowing I have their back. 

Will I have to ask my 8-year-old for homework help? It is very likely! She seems supportive of this effort, but is certainly curious what that will look like, wondering if I will be at school all the time and not at home. I am pleased to say the majority of my courses will align with her school day, allowing me to drop off or pick up my kids, as per usual when they are done school. This will make it a little easier to transition to my new role as a student. 

The hardest job of all is being a mom, but I think a mom can be more than one thing. A mom can go back to school…or get a new job…or join a club or team…She can do it all because she is a mom.

This mom is going to be a student for the next little bit. We shall see what transpires along the way!