Before enrolling at Mercer, Vivian Thern and Jessica Moffit served in the U.S. Navy. Thern chose to follow in the footsteps of her uncle who served for 22 years and Moffitt chose the US Navy as an opportunity to travel.
Thern says, “It was a mental game every single day. I had to learn to pace my mind in many ways to get through my job and deployments.”
Similarly, Moffit says, “I think the mental health aspect was the hardest for me. My commands I served at, during my four years were very corrupt and change took place too late. There were a lot of injustices and abuse, and it took its toll.”
After serving in the Navy, Thern and Moffit decided to continue their education, although balancing academics, raising their children, and working to support their family has proven challenging.
Thern, a first-year Digital Media Arts student, says her first semester was not easy. Being a full-time student, Thern’s days are filled with schoolwork, and she says she struggles to find time away from her children to complete her assignments.
For Moffit, a third-year Digital Media Arts student, the most difficult aspect of being a student is finding a balance between home life and class schedules.
Moffitt chose her major because she loves designing and has always wanted to hone her skills in content creation. She says, “Mercer has some really good courses and awesome teachers.” In addition to her studies, Moffitt is a licensed esthetician, cosmetologist, professional nanny, chef, and content creator.
Moffitt and Thern both say that the pressures of life come from many different angles. When asked which was more difficult, being in the Navy, continuing their education, or being a mother, they both answered the same – motherhood is the hardest of the three.
Thern says, “Even in struggling days, no one notices that you have to show up and come through for your children every single day no matter how you feel or what you’re dealing with personally.”
Thern continues, “I deal with being a mother first but you would never know that every single day I am battling with my mental health and my grief and trying to manage that with therapy once a week.”
Thern adds, “School is also a pressure but I know I have to push myself to graduate and be my best for myself and my family.”
Moffitt also explains her own pressures. She says, “Being the best mom I can be is a constant pressure. Making enough money. Making enough time for my home life. Keeping my house nice and clean and organized, because I have OCD, but also making time for myself.”
As a very young mother with no support, Moffitt struggled. Having childhood trauma and regret that took time to heal, Moffitt says she has grown to be an active, loving and present mother to her son. Moffit says, “At the end of the day, my child has never doubted my love, and I am proud of that.”
Moffitt and Thern’s hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. Ryan Springsteen, a Communications Major in his last semester at Mercer and classmate of theirs says, “I’m lucky to have people like them. I can see they’re working hard so I work hard as well.”
Support from Mercer’s professors has also played a role in Moffitt and Thern’s success. Dr. Steve Voorhees, a professor of theirs says, “Recognising that people are coming from different backgrounds and they need support in different areas, I think that is our job. It’s not a one-size-fits-all educational model.”
In addition to support on campus, Thern and Moffit recognize the importance of staying organized and on schedule.
An online article, 8 Time Management Tips for Students, Harvard University offers eight tips for better handling time management. Their list mentions creating a calendar, setting reminders, a personalized schedule, using tools that work for you, prioritizing, time for fun and yourself, finding support, and being realistic and flexible.
Both Thern and Moffit use many of these strategies in their daily routines. Thern says she has, “Calendars all over my walls and notebooks with endless lists.”
Moffitt schedules her responsibilities during the week, to keep order, but also says, “Building a support system is absolutely necessary and most importantly, to celebrate the successes, especially the small ones.”
Whether serving in the military, taking care of family, or continuing your education, Moffitt says, “Just be gentle with yourself. It’s impossible to have your shit together one hundred percent of the time.”
