"...more than likely there are other students that have already faced it.”

Nichole Lidstrom wrote this week about non-traditional students at the College of William and Mary for The Flat Hat, the student voice of the college since 1911. The school hosts a weekly lunch, called Prime Tribe, where non-trad students can share experiences and fears, and help each other out.

“We keep it on a social level, but if someone is suffering a crisis, then more than likely there are other students that have already faced it,” President of Prime Tribe Kathy Eggers ’09 said. “We are a support system as well.”

When most of your classmates could be your children, or grandchildren in some cases, it's easy to feel that you're the only one out there struggling with balancing the many aspects of adult life. Lidstrom introduces Deborah Szymecki ’10, who was attending her first Prime Tribe session.

“There are problems with going to school full-time and having a family,” Szymecki said. "When I get home, it’s usually throw in the wash, sweep something, start with [my children’s] homework, or I have to pick someone up or run someone somewhere. I’m usually up till 2 a.m. doing my homework.”

It can be easy to let the daily struggle wear you down, and keeping your eye on the bigger picture can be a lifeline. A group like Prime Tribe can help. When one person is low, another will be there to help. Reach out. Find other non-traditional students like yourself. Start a group if your school doesn't have one already. If you've still got kids at home, you'll be setting a priceless example for them. Lidstrom writes:

Eggers and Szymecki both related how their own academic success is inspiring their children in high school, who are looking at the College as prospective students.

Inspire your kids and your grandkids by being a model student. Show them that even when life is a struggle, there are ways to create balance. They'll see how you set priorities and honor commitments, especially to them, and they'll remember it for a lifetime.