It is said that being a mom is the hardest job in the world. It is 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no holidays or sick days. In blatant terms, being a mom is a full-time job and then some.  Being a college student is considered one of the most stressful points in a student’s life between trying to get a good night’s sleep, study, do homework, go to class and participate in extracurricular activities. Amanda Rogowski does both.

Rogowski, a fifth-year forensic accounting and criminal justice major, is the proud mother of an eight-month-old baby boy named Colton. Rogowski has always wanted to have a family of her own but she “had hoped it would be a year or two after [she] graduated and had a stable job.”

Having her son while still in school required her to make some adjustments to finishing her degree.

“My school goals were to graduate with my double major in December. However, with the birth of my son, I have had to add a semester and will now, hopefully, be graduating in the spring,” said Rogowski.

Even after having her son, Rogowski’s career goals have not changed. Currently, she maintains an internship that will translate into a job offer once she has graduated.

After becoming a mom eight months ago, Rogowski had to adapt the way she approaches her studies and the way she balances them with being a mom now.

“My son is my number one priority,” Rogowski said. “If he is not feeling well, I will miss class to take care of him.”

She spends a lot of the time she is not in class playing with and spending as much time as possible with her son and watching him learn. However, doing homework has proven to be a challenge for her.

“He always wants to [see and grab] whatever I have, so it is really hard to work on assignments during the day,” said Rogowski. “He has taken my class papers and chewed on them and ripped them. If I’m using my laptop, he will try to hit the key board or [will be] pulling on the charger wire. It can be very hard to focus on [an] assignment while Colton is awake.”

Daycare has been a valuable help for Rogowski in being able to continue working towards graduating and getting her degree, but he only attends during the times his mom is working or in class. Because of this, if there are any meetings in the evening, she has to bring him along.

Rogowski and her son have recieved a lot of support from friends and family. According to Rogowski, her parents and son’s grandparents have been extremely supportive. Over the summer they helped her take care of him, gave him gifts and FaceTimed with him since they live away from her parents during the school year. One of the biggest helps to Rogowski and Colton is her aunt. Her aunt doesn’t live very far away in comparison to her parents, so her aunt often spends time babysitting Rogowski’s son. The two also appreciate her aunt’s hospitality and spend some weekends with her.

Due to being a student mother, Rogowski’s professors understand that if her phone rings and she needs to leave, she can do so.

“My professors have been great at allowing me to miss a class when my son has a doctor’s appointment, which is out of state, since living in Waynesburg is temporary for us,” said Rogowski.

Watching Colton grow up is a bittersweet experience for Rogowski. So far, he sits up on his own, holds his own bottle, crawls and stands.

“It just amazes me that he is learning so much. I couldn’t be more proud of him, while at the same time, it does make me sad that my little baby is growing up,” said Rogowski. “Mothers always wish their baby will stay little forever.”

Rogowski’s advice to other young mothers is to have faith in themselves, do whatever it is they have to do in order to provide for their family and that it’s okay to get advice from friends and family.