Crybaby’s
Blog #2- Education Struggle
I
have always believed that education is the key to not just success but to life
in general. My name is Jasmon Jackson I am originally from Oakland,
California and came to San Jose State straight out of high school. However
unlike most seventeen years old who graduated from high school, I was already a
single mother at sixteen. When I first had my daughter I lived with my father
whom was very strict and made it very clear that having a child was my
responsibility. I remember three months after my daughter was; born knocking on
my father door and telling him that my daughter did not have any more diapers.
He said, "That it was not is responsibility and that I needed to
figure out how to get my daughter diapers." For two days I wrapped my
daughter in tee shirts and towels, the same week I got a job at Churches
Chicken after school. At sixteen I was taking my daughter to school and to work
with me, and only made enough for diapers and transportation to work. It was at
that time I realized that something had to change and the way to having a
better life for me and my daughter was for me to go to college and to get an
education.
As
a freshman in collage, I lived on my own, worked, made Honor roll and the
Dean’s list. My second year at San Jose State I started a nonprofit student
organizations called Mothers on Mission, that helped parents in collage with
resources and support through school. Mothers on a Mission not only held
successful fundraisers, including a comedy show, but we also met with the
President of the University to make changes to SJSU to make the campus more
parents friendly. It was that year when SJSU installed diaper changing tables
in major bathrooms and elevators and parking garages to make it easier for
parents to carry their children to school and the childcare center.
In
August of 2004 I was hospitalized in the mental hospital and diagnosed as Bi
Polar, Borderline Personality disorder, anxiety and disassociation. I
struggled with my mental illnesses, and hospitalizations for years. Through it
all I continued my education.
My
third year in college, I continued working, going to school, and running my
organization. However I had my second daughter and it was then that being a
single mother began to take a toll and my grades began to slip. I was then
disqualified from SJSU for poor grades and began attending Solano Community
Collage to begin my journey to get back in to SJSU. Due to my finances I was
not able to go to Open University to get back in SJSU so I attended Solano for
five years, where I had my third daughter, who is premature and disabled. I
again was on honor roll at Solano and then was finally reinstated on special
circumstances, and am now I am in my last year at SJSU. I will be graduating in
spring with a Bachelor in Communications. During this whole process I refused
to give up on school. As a single mother of three girls I felt that the only
way to have a better life for me and my kids was my education. As well as
showing my daughters to never give up on what you want, especially their
educations.
During
my last few semesters I was tested for a learning disability and was diagnosed
with a reading comprehension problem, in September 2011 I was
also diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which is
a chronic fatigue and pain disorder. Struggling with mental
illness again, my learning disability, and now severe pain I felt now more than
ever I needed to get my degrees or all my work may have been done in vein.
I
have been a single mother for over twelve years now, and although I love being
the mother of three beautiful girls, it’s honestly the hardest job to have. I
have missed finals, dropped classes, and sacrifice many of my goals to be the
best mother I can be. There have been many times in school, when I had no
childcare, or one of my girls were ill and I had to make choices that weren’t
always best for me but are best for my children.
My
struggle through school has been a long journey, and I was scared for my
journey to end because I have been in school for so many years, I still have
the anxiety from being in school. I recently just graduated in May 2013 with a
(3) AA 1st in AA Communications, 2nd AA in
Liberal Studies, and 3rd AA in University studies from Solano
Community college. In the same semester also graduated from San Jose State
University with my BS in Communications.
I
have proven that education is my primary goal. Also, as I single mother I have
been able to maintain satisfactory grades, and have contributed to my school
and the community to help other parents who are also in a higher educational
program. Since completing my degrees I plan on getting my masters and writing
my first book. I feel the furthest I can go in my education is the way to
making sure that I am the best Jasmon that I can be. With my masters I feel a
chance to finally be able to do something for myself that actually benefited me
and my family to the fullest. As a career goal I would like to started my
business where I work as an Independent Public relations Specialist, and I also
still plan on looking for a position as a; PR specialist, Marketing Rep.,
Journalist, Social Media Rep., or Writer/Author in a mid size up and coming
social and communication related company..
No comments:
Post a Comment