How To Graduate College With Kids #MommyEdition

Happy New Year Tribe!

Today is January 12, 2024 and I've already seen an earthquake in Japan, Alien's in Miami's Bayside Mall, Katt Williams break the internet, and so many other things thus far! As we go into the new year let's remember not to take life so seriously, and enjoy doing the things that make our hearts smile :)

Today I wanted to share some tips to help other people in my Tribe accomplish their goals and help with time management. I am not a licensed therapist, but I do have EXPERIENCE! No need for me to gate keep information. Let's get to it!

A lot of people ask me "How did I find time to graduate college, work full time, and still be a very involved active parent"? The truth is.... it was by trial and error! Not only did I manage to get 1 degree, but I got 2! Quite honestly, I just never gave up, but the key to my success was TIME MANAGEMENT and lot's of sacrifice! Below are 5 helpful tips that I personally experienced!

When you are deciding to go to school be very clear on what you are majoring in and building relationships.

This tip can help you save lot's of money and time in the long run! If you are truly undecided no need to panic, because you will be taking core classes like English, Math, and Social Sciences for the first year or two. I also want to encourage you to never be afraid to follow YOUR calling or special gifts! Often times we can get caught up in our parents and society dreams that they have for us. Dance to the beat of your own drum! Some might say an Artist is not a "real" job until you create a multimillion dollar business teaching kids art, become a successful content creator, or become the next Jean Basquiat! Please stay true to yourself. When you find a school, make the Registrar and the Professors your bestfriends! You will be surprised on how people are willing to help you if they think that you really want to succeed! When I started college I already had two kids. My last year in college I got pregnant with my 3rd child, was newly single, and literally just trying my best. I had my son two weeks before my finals and I was devastated. I still showed up to take my test and finished out my group assignments! My Professors couldn't believe it. When they seen how determined I was they allowed me to go hybrid and complete most of my next semester online, because I had a newborn baby. Guess what? Your girl didn't skip a beat and I pranced so hard across that stage and got my diploma lol. Here is the video.

2. Pick 2 days out of the week to attend College online or in person.

This might be the most important step! The reason why you are picking two days only is because this will help free your time to complete your school assignments, work, parent, and have a life! For example for years I went to school only on Tuesdays and Thursdays from about 8am- 6pm. My mother would help me with my kids, and do their homework on those days. I packed my lunch everyday to save money and I would stay on campus all day. Sometimes I would nap in my car if I had time in between a long break. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays would be my study and work completion days! Fridays was also my "date night" days lol ( hey momma had to live to). Saturdays was strictly reserved for my kids and fun activities. Sundays was my self care day and I started prepping for the next week. This sounds very uniformed and guess what? It was! Getting to the next level takes discipline. My life did not consist of a lot of partying. I was determined to change my situation and graduate to provide a better life for my children.

3. Keep your expenses low.

I constantly remind people that it is not about how you make, but it is about how much you can keep! During my college years I had a Pontiac Grand Prix and I refused to get a new car. I had to start my car up twice for it to work lol, but my baby never failed on me! Not having a car note took a lot of pressure off of me. No car note or full coverage car insurance saved me almost $1,000 a month! If you want to stay away from slaving at work, keep your expenses low, pack your lunch daily, monitor how much you eat out, utilize thrift stores in high end neighborhoods for clothes, and don't get caught up keeping up with the Jone's!

4. If you have to take out student loans... use them the right way.

Listen, now I am not encouraging anyone to commit fraud. This is for educational purposes only! Loans are there to help you! I paid for my tuition, books, and everyday living. When I took out loans I would use them to pay up my rent, school books, utilities, daycare and food. Make them work for YOU! This step also saved me from lot's of financial stress! I lived below my means, and quite honestly the habits that were formed back then continues to be apart of my everything living now. I always encourage people to apply for scholarships, but if those are not enough.... take out the loans and figure it out later.

5. Have the confidence to get the life you deserve.

Can I be real with you guys? I used to self sabotage a lot, because I truly didn't believe that I deserved the fairytale, bliss, success, and a soft life! If you have a dream, do it. If you are scared, do it anyway. If you don't have any mentors, find someone. Read and study the people that you admire. Everyday you have a device in your hands that can provide you with unlimited information, resources, and ideas in seconds! There is literally no excuse anymore not to get everything you want out of this life. Not color, race, or age can stop you from becoming who you want to be. Be the Director of your life's story!

If this post can help just one of you....then I did my job! It takes a lot of vulnerability to share my imperfections to the world. I pray my story finds the right reader :) Stay tuned because I have been working on a fire financial literacy downloadable packet for all of my homeschooling mamas and teachers!

Please follow me for more gems and helpful tips @theliberatedmum on Tiktok, YouTube, and Instagram !

In Service and Gratitude,

Shanika Smith