Categories: uncategorized
Date: 31 July 2007 07:37:16
So continuing with the adventure and the lessons learnt we now reach Uni Land and life settles down somewhat, at least for a while. The first year is ok, I don't do spectacularly well but I don't do particularly badly either. My struggles with Economics continue, but with alot of revision for the re-sit I make it through onto the second year. In the second year I settle down and continue with my programme of study, enjoying Sociology which is now my major and working through with the other subjects, then in January of that academic year life changes, dramatically.
I remember the morning it was confirmed with a clarity which only goes with those mind numbing events. I went to the call box and phoned the doctors and was told yes I was and I should make an appointment for an initial check up. I was, to put it mildly in a state of shock. As I sat in my lecture on voting patterns of the recent elections I struggled to take everything in. I had gone to the doctor feeling wierd and he had floated the idea I might be pregnant and now here I was with it confirmed. Was that my dreams of a degree gone?
Well, things might have been slightly more complicated if I hadn't been married and had a wonderful family and if I hadn't suddenly got the hang of Economics (there is apparently nothing like a baby due the same week as the resits to make your brain get it right first time!). So 6 weeks exactly before the start of my final year Third Party (who understood the importance of fitting into a schedule from the beginning) arrived. My final year was spent commuting between Tractor Land and Uni Land (leaving Monday morning and returning Thursday evening), writing my dissertation on the train. The end result a respectable 2:2 which all things considered I was just relieved to have obtained.
So what is to be learnt?
1. Whilst you may struggle at the beginning with things sometimes they just click that little bit more when you have to get focused.
2. It is possible with support to do child and uni, but you need to take the help offered to you in order to do so.
3. See space to work wherever you have a gap - for me it was the train.
4. If you find yourself in that type of situation go and see the welfare officer at uni and make sure you get any special requirements for the exams sorted. For me this meant getting a larger table at the back of the exam hall so I had room to shift about and get comfortable when the baby began to move.
5. In the end you have to make the right choices for you as to whether to continue or not. Every situation is different and there is no magic formular to say what is right or wrong on this one.
6. It's ok to not be over the moon about it. I confused a doctor who couldn't understand why I was obviously not thrilled about being pregnant but certainly not asking for a termination either. It was how I felt, and nobody can else can tell you how you should be responding.