I always say that my kids are the best things to ever happen in my life. Without them, I wouldn't be who I am today. My first child turned me into an extra hard worker. I worked nearly every night despite my doctor threatening to put me on bed rest to make sure I had money to take care of her. My second made me more vigilant. She keeps me on my toes because she's curious and always getting into something. They've made me a better version of myself. Being a full-time parent and student is hard work. I attend college online though that doesn't lighten the daily load. As a parent, I can't let school dictate my life. I still need to keep my girls active; those little bodies have too much energy. I still have to make time to cook, pick up their toys, and break up fights. They're toddlers, so I have to make time to work through big emotions and tantrums. Bath time may be fun, but by the time we've made it that far into our day, I've begun to stress because now I have to chase my oldest through the house to get her into a pull-up and PJs, and I still haven't finished half of the work I need to get done. I'm not complaining about my parental duties, but the support system that promised to be there for us is nonexistent. I'm majoring in graphic design because I love art and designing t-shirts. I want to use my degree to turn my hobby into a career or start a small t-shirt business. Since applying to Full Sail, I've gotten a bit better at creating digital art and get paid to design shirts for others. The little money I make goes toward taking care of my girls- pull-ups, wipes, clothes, etc. A career could allow me to do more for my family. I could get us a bigger and better place to stay! For now, I have to take the late nights doing work in stride. Staying up may be tiresome, but in the end, I know it'll be worth it. I have to keep my goal in sight and remember: I'm doing this for my family.