What I Learned Going Back to College in My Thirties as a Divorced Mom of 4

Essay — Ruminating on my experience this past year as a college senior trying to navigate homework, classes, dating, and parenthood!

Finding out I was pregnant at the end of my junior year of college in 2011 was a shock, to say the least. Furthermore, I was expecting twins and had no idea what was in store. My entire life changed in an instant; my dreams of graduating college and then building up a life for myself evaporated and new dreams took their place: making sure my twins were healthy, learning all about parenthood, marriage, writing.

I was married for about 7 1/2 years and then divorced my ex-husband; I now have full custody of my four children and feel safe in my situation. I spent years trying to make my marriage work, but one person’s effort can only go so far, especially when things escalate and the situation becomes unsafe.

I have reclaimed myself.

It’s been a journey since my divorce; I have had a couple jobs, but then the pandemic rolled in like thunderclouds and I found myself home again, helping my children through distance learning and exploring a relationship with a new man.

The pandemic has continued, the relationship did not, but I have grown so much. I discovered my value and worthiness, my inner…