“Sometimes it does kind of feel like UWM isn’t always built for being a parent and a student.”

Clarisa Scott is a student at UW-Milwaukee who majors in education. She talked with Cherita Booker about returning to campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Booker) How has your experience been returning to campus during a pandemic?

(Scott) My experience returning to campus is pretty positive, it seems like I haven’t really run into issues with people being reluctant about other people’s safety. I ended having covid the very first month of school. I don’t know if I picked it up on campus or somewhere else, but all the professors were really understanding and worked with me to make sure that I was caught up. I’m super glad to be back on campus.

(Booker) Does being a mom change your experience as a returning student? How have you been able to balance it all?

(Scott) Being a mom changes everything, a lot. I was a student parent for my undergrad. There’s a lot of stuff I feel like I can’t participate in with the college experience sometimes, but I also know that there are a lot of resources for student parents. Sometimes it does kind of feel like UWM isn’t always built for being a parent and a student, mostly schedule wise.

I had one professor last spring, he actually had a whole section on his syllabus dedicated to student parents and it was the first time that I really felt seen. Which is kind of sad because I’ve been through a lot of credits. I have a ton of credits under my belt, more than necessary because it took me a long time to finish my first program. Just reading, “here’s what I understand as a parent and professor and here’s what I understand some of you might be facing as student parents,” I was like whoa. It does feel like we’re kind of expected to be on one page, and its weird coming back at 32 years old. I feel ancient. Even when I was a little older when I graduated, I think 27 or 26, that’s not old by any means, but I felt like there was a range of ages at UWM. I don’t know if something changed but I feel like everyone is just freshly 18, 19, 20. It’s interesting, everyone kind of makes assumptions as a school. We’re all treated like we’re living in the dorms and that’s definitely not the case.

(Booker) What have been your struggles? What or who has failed you?

(Scott) Being a student parent and trying to navigate that because you have so many schedules. Work schedule, a school schedule, and then whatever your kids are doing, plus their school, and extracurricular activities. One thing that sucks is when schedules don’t align. The school calendar not aligning with UWM’s spring break or winter break.

I’ve had a few instances where I feel like the professors, some of them not all of them, might be just as overwhelmed as us students. Covid, I’m sure exacerbates that. It doesn’t always feel like everyone’s prepared. I’ve had professors completely ignore communications, like in emails. If I have questions or total confusion about an assignment, and I actually just had this happen. I emailed my professor Monday and never heard back and she gave me a zero on an assignment that I was like, this doesn’t make sense, can you elaborate. Without responding to my inquiry, it was graded as a zero. It’s not the first time that I had that happen in the education program, which is really disheartening. I don’t feel like that was my experience in the English department. My thought is like, is it  a professor or is it someone who is also attending classes? Trying to write their dissertation and are they under an extreme amount of unmanageable stress and then being expected to just do business as usuals even with all these changes and challenges with Covid. I’m trying to be mindful of that, but it definitely feels like you’re not helping me learn. You’re hindering that process. On the flip slide, like I said, I’ve also had professors that I’m just like how are you so amazing, and understanding and helpful. So, there’s balance.

(Booker) How do you manage your stress?

(Scott) I need to do a better job of managing my stress. I’m interested in learning more about campus resources. I would like talk to someone but it’s a struggle finding someone you vibe with. The way that I manage is trying to write down my lists of what needs to get done and what can wait and trying to communicate with who might be affected by my stress.

(Booker) Have you experience any positive changes during the pandemic?

(Scott) I picked up some new hobbies. Gardening and keeping plants alive inside my house is new for me. I had some and they always all died and then I found some kind of special touch. Also, I suppose getting to know my family a lot deeper because that was kind of who was in our pod. I could see my sisters, my parents, I’m around my daughter all the time and a few select other people, when it was really bad and we were in lockdown. Exploring relationships and refreshing old relationships. My sister and I didn’t really talk a lot but I would say since Covid we’re really close.

(Booker) What are you looking forward to in the future?

(Scott) After graduation, the opportunity to work in public schools because I’ll finally be certified. Having some more time to devote to my art like writing, theater, painting, and having more time with my child.