| Challenges of Graduate Studies | AJS 501 | | Richelle E Atkinson | 10/21/2012 |

This paper explains three challenges that the student faces during their current graduate studies and list 3 strategies to overcome those challenges. |

As a non-traditional graduate student I am sure to face challenges as I further my education and career, so attempting to accommodate a career, a child, and education is challenging for anyone. Amongst many challenges I face as a single mother in this difficult society obtaining my Masters degree has added different set of challenges to be face with one common goal to accomplish. The three challenges I believe I will face as a student during graduate studies includes being a single mother, holding a full time job, and being a student. The first challenge as a graduate student is my responsibilities as a single mother to an eleven year daughter and her busy schedule. My daughter is currently in the sixth grade in which she is at the age where she is attempting to figure out where she fits in the equation of adolescence. As a very protective mother it is my responsibility to guide my daughter and show her the love she deserves. As a juvenile probation officer, it is very difficult to overlook the society our children are being faced with. I experience daily situations of parents being unable to attend to their children due to their busy schedule whether it’s a full time job or other children within the household. Motherhood is not only a concept of biological producing a child it specifically evolves the social relationship characterized by emotional, nurturing, protection (Lynch, 2008). Per Hay’s (1996) as a single mother my daughter depends on me to provide and nurture the ‘intensive mother’ concept the mother must put the child’s needs above her owns. As a mother I am aware that my child needs me as her provider and protector to fully develop into an independent woman such as her mother as I did and my mother. The second challenge faced as a graduate student is my status as a full time employee. Unfortunately, my job can be very demanding on a daily bases. As a juvenile probation officer you are face with providing services for a youth with delinquent problems and often family issues. I find it very difficult convincing youth without ambitions and goals to go to school daily when I am attempting to obtain a masters degree. In addition as an employee I am held accountable for following policies and procedures which can often bring added stress. I am aware that stress is part of a normal life and is unavoidable and generally an emotional imbalance which may be caused by several factors such as academic tests and papers, financial worries, competitive employment fields (Mazumdar et al, 2012). As a graduate student I have considered altering the number of hours worked during the week, but alteration of hours would place me as a part time employee. In result, affecting my dependent and I needed health insurance provided from my employer. The third challenge faced as a graduate is time management. I often find it very difficult to juggle academics, work, and family. Among the challenges I face daily I would definitely say that time management is a difficult challenge. I am often face with limited amount of time to complete task and often thrown off task due to interruptions. Stress affects the body in different ways to include physically, emotionally, and mentally. It is ultimately to the effected to adopt a strategy to limit the amount of stress caused be challenges faced. Finally, there are three strategies needed to overcome the challenges during my graduate school studies. As a single mother a structured environment is a most for my daughter and I. She is fully aware of the responsibilities her mother has, and the needed help and understanding she must give in return. I am able to create the time she needs from me and in return gives me the time to address task that I need to complete. As for my responsibilities as an employee during work I concentrate on the duties needed to be complete for the day leaving extra time for emergencies that may arise. Lastly time management is kept in a written log and addressed accordingly. In conclusion, among the three challenges listed I am sure there are many more to be faced, but I know as long as I face those challenges with a positive outlook and my goal of obtaining my Masters degree in mind they will be over came. I have prepared myself for strategies in dealing with the experience of my journey as a graduate student. First, prepare for change. Luckily I am able to adopt to change very well embracing new challenges and enjoying the challenge is what keeps me graded. Second, address my priorities and categorizing them as first and last. As stated before, being a mother is of course at the top of my priorities besides the reason for me obtaining a Masters to further my career is to provide a better future for my daughter and myself. My current challenges do coincide with one or the other. Whether it is the limited of time I have in a day to complete and provide as a student, a mother, or an employee I am commented to finding a way to make it work. I believe that all challenges can be defeated with the right attitude.

References:
Hays, S. (1996). The cultural contradictions of motherhood. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Lynch, K. (2008). Gender roles and the American academe: a case study of graduate student mother. Gender & Education, 20(6), 585-605. Doi: 10.1080/09540250802213099
Mazumdar, H., Gogoi, D., Buraghain, L., & Haloi, N. (2012). A Comparative study on stress and its contributing factors among the graduate and Post-graduate students. Advances In Applied Science Research, 3(1), 399-406