“How do you do it?” This question resonates throughout the month and comes from all directions. I know I am not alone. I know there is a unique subset of us out there. We exist, but many times we go unnoticed. We sadly do not get the thrill of the on-campus vibes and energy, but we pursue our degree with intentions of getting somewhere. We want to grow, we want to learn, we want to make a better future for ourselves. Our goals are similar to everyone pursuing graduate studies, it just looks a little bit different for us. We are mothers, fathers, full-time directors, and during this time of pursuit, we compile many sleepless nights because we open up our books and take a deep breath as we sip down a cup of coffee after tucking in the kids at night.
 
“How do you do it?”, they ask.
 
My answer is always the same. Every semester when I look back on the classes and I reflect on my performance, I cannot exactly tell you how I made it all work. How I balanced so well one week, but struggled through the next.
 
What I do know is this.
I know my WHY.
 
I am not in the pursuit of higher education to just receive another “degree”.
I am in the pursuit of higher education to better myself, my family and inspire.
I am in pursuit of higher education to be able to look into my baby boys’ eyes and tell him, He can. With beautiful work ethic and determination. He can. I want to be the living proof for him, so he is inspired by his mama every day.
 
If he believes. If he works at it. He can.
 
I may not know the how, but I know ‘why’ I get up each morning.
 
What is your why? What drives you to keep on keeping on when the times get hard.
 
Know that you are not alone. We are all in this together. Whether you are on campus, off campus, or overseas somewhere 10,000 miles away from College Station.
 
We are in this together.

---
Jenny Nuccio
Jenny is an Ed.D. student participating in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Doc@Distance Program.