There are few things more daunting than starting college. One of those things is caring for a sick parent while in college.

My mother was diagnosed with front-temporal dementia in my sophomore year of college. However, she displayed symptoms for years prior. I spent much of my college experience caring for my sick mother. Many college students have to balance caring for family members while in school. Though there may not be much information on how many college students care for ill parents, an estimated 4.3 million college students raise children while receiving higher education. According to a 2020 National University article, that's approximately 22% of all college students who were enrolled in school for the 2019-2020 school year. And please remember, the spring 2020 semester began the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding another complication to the mix.

Though there was quite a bit of trial and error in attempting to care for my mother while completing my college education, I have found some strategies which helped me achieve high grades while also keeping my mother taken care of.

1. Communicate with the college's support staff. Most colleges have support systems to help students balance their home life and education. You must use those resources. Whether they are student life counselors or academic deans who can put in a good word for you with professors, everyone wants to see you, the college student, succeed.

2. Keep your professors and advisors in the loop. Like with college staff members, it is important to ensure your lines of communication are open with your professors. From experience, I found that professors and instructors can often be flexible with students regarding deadlines for projects, homework schedules, or staying after class to address outstanding questions. It is also important that you make sure the professors know what is happening in your life. They won't need copious details, but they undoubtedly have busy lives too. They understand that balancing your education with raising children or caring for sick loved ones can impact your college performance and engagement. Don't be afraid to ask the professor for extra credit opportunities if your grades are falling behind. Be sure to include the professors in any life updates you may have that could affect your college education. If need be, rope in assistance from a dean of support staff member to bolster your case

3. Develop a schedule. While I was not the primary caregiver for my mother, I did find it important to have a defined schedule (outside of class, work, and sleep) to best continue my educational goals while ensuring my mother had proper care. This schedule should allow ample time to conduct other personal responsibilities, like paying bills and cooking, finishing homework, participating in extracurriculars, and even some fun time (with or without the person you are providing care for). Like everything in college, finding balance is the key to success.

4. Be engaged. Professors and college support staff will recognize your efforts, even if they occasionally fall short. While you may not be able to make up an assignment or some similar item, there may be alternative methods for you to succeed. The same post from National University says that student parents, for example, tend to earn higher grades than their childless counterparts. The reason for caregivers to often rank higher in grade point averages is because they have the drive to juggle multiple high-intensity and high stress occupations at once; college student and caregiver. Be proud of what you are trying to accomplish with a college degree and in the care you provide to your loved ones.

5. Use your caregiving skills to further your education. While this may seem like an odd piece of advice, consider how you provide care for your loved one: no doubt with extreme detail and persistence, right? Most likely, if you seek an advanced degree while also providing care for your family, you hope to provide yourself and them with a better life. Use your persistence and attention to detail with your caregiving job and apply it to your education. Not only will you discover a renewed and enhanced appreciation for the education you are getting, but more than likely, you will see your grades soar and what you get out of your college education increase. Like tending to a family member in need, there is always a greater return on investment should you put in the effort.

Obviously, there are other ways to find balance in your education and caregiving occupations than what is listed above. However, I can speak from experience when I say that these methods assisted me in my college student and caregiver endeavors. The key to succeeding in these paths is to keep your eye on the prize and prioritize your responsibilities to ensure maximum success in your goals.