It has been three weeks since I returned to university as a nursing student single mum, and it already feels like I have lived through a full term.
The first week was induction week. Would you believe that on the Sunday evening, the night before my first day back, my daughter became unwell? She developed a cold and started wheezing. The whole night was uncomfortable for her. She could not settle, she barely slept, and I had to give her her inhaler a couple of times throughout the night.
I knew I could not miss the first day back. It was an important session where the lecturers explained what would happen for the rest of the year.
Even though I was tired and worried about my daughter, I decided to make arrangements. I asked her childminder if she could care for her for a few hours since she had no other children that day. Thankfully, she agreed and kept her in for about four hours.
I chose not to take my daughter to nursery because she was unwell, so I attended university only for the morning session from nine until one. After that, I picked her up and stayed home with her for the next few days. That meant missing one day of university.
She had been completely fine throughout the summer, not even a single cold. But the change in weather from summer to autumn did not help at all.
Back to Placement
The second week we went straight into clinical placement. My first week went well, but during the second week my daughter became unwell again. I ended up missing a day of placement, and if you are a nursing student, you know how difficult that can be.
When you miss placement days, you have to make up the hours later, which can be very challenging. I had to sign that day off as sick.
That same week, an incident happened at my placement which I had to report. Because of that, an investigation is now taking place, and I have been asked to stay home until everything is resolved.
Being a nursing student single mum means constantly adjusting and finding balance. You can plan everything perfectly, but life often finds ways to test your strength and patience.
Learning to Adapt
That has been my first three weeks back at university, and they have already been full of unexpected turns. It can be difficult because no matter how much you plan, life always finds ways to surprise you.
I am learning to go with the flow, make arrangements where I can, and keep moving forward. Some things are out of my control, but that does not mean I should give up on my goals.
Motherhood and nursing school are both demanding, but they are also teaching me strength, flexibility, and patience. Every challenge has a lesson hidden inside it.
I am learning to pause, adjust, and then continue again. Sometimes doing your best is not about getting everything right.
It is about not giving up when things get hard. This journey as a nursing student single mum has not been easy, but it continues to teach me resilience, compassion, and determination.
Final Thought
If you ever find yourself struggling to balance motherhood and study, remember that you are doing better than you think. Life will not always go to plan, but you can still keep going.
It is okay to take things one day at a time. It is okay to rest. And it is okay to start again when you are ready.
This journey is not about perfection. It is about progress, patience, and purpose.
