When I found out I was pregnant at 19-years-old with my son August-Blue, my life completely shifted. I was in my third semester of community college and did not know how I would juggle the demands and needs of both my education and a baby. Luckily, when transferring to CSUN in my third year, I found the resources I needed to succeed as a young college parent.
Student Housing
Student Housing at CSUN offers family-friendly housing options for students with flexible lease terms. They also assist families in finding affordable off campus housing.
Children’s Center
The Children’s Center offers low-cost and/or free daycare for parents of children 6 months to 5 years old. While I did not use the daycare center as much as I would have hoped, they provide full-time and part-time childcare for your children while attending school or work.
Health and Wellness Services
The Klotz Student Health Center and University Counseling Services provide wellness and health support for all students. Some of the services they offer are mental and physical health counseling, primary care services and specialty care such as dental services and physical therapy. These services were vital to me as my mental health was always under pressure.
Lactation Rooms
For all the breastfeeding moms out there, CSUN offers lactation rooms that provide a private and cozy space to care for your baby. There are six rooms located around campus: at the University Student Union, Santa Susana Hall, Klotz Student Health Center, Sequoia Hall, Bayramian Hall and inside the Eisner College of Education building.
Food Pantry
The CSUN Food Pantry provides some basic necessities for students in need. There are canned goods, toiletries, fresh produce and hygiene products. The campus also has a weekly farmers market on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. which provides more fresh produce. Additionally, parents participating in the WIC program are able to use their benefits at the food pantry.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
If there’s one thing I could always count on while in school, it would be the financial aid department. The Financial Aid and Scholarships Center offers many scholarships and awards for students with kids. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, more commonly known as FAFSA, is a form that students fill out yearly to receive money for college. Some of the awards include the Pell grant, work-study awards, additional grants, scholarships and even loans. There are also programs the center helps students sign up for such as WIC and CalWorks/CalFresh which provides benefits to families in need. More information on scholarships and financial aid opportunities can be found on their website.
Career Center
The Career Center helps many students, especially those with children with career counseling and job placement. They help you find jobs that are tailored to your class and childcare schedules. They host job fairs, workshops and networking events. Even after graduation, the Career Center is there to guide you into the workforce. They often send emails to your CSUN accounts when they have events coming up.
If there’s anything I learned while being a parent in college, it was to always take advantage of my resources and ask for help. I was grateful to be given the opportunity of going to college and having a baby was not going to stop me from getting my education. The most difficult tasks are the most rewarding in the end. If there’s any advice I can offer to parents in school, it is to always reach out during hard times– because it takes a village to raise a kid. Making connections and joining groups with other student parents is also a way to help make this educational journey feel less lonely.
