I am worried about my mother
I have just done my 12th boards and searching for good colleges out of our town. I live in a small town, where there are no good colleges. Ours is a nuclear family, no siblings and my mother has a severe eyesight problem. I am worried how she will manage things alone. I don’t have distance college options, either.
Khushi
Dear Khushi,
You are faced with a very challenging situation. Since you have not given much background information, here are some questions to help you decide:
Whether to take your mother along or not: If you leave home, will your mother be completely alone? What are the tasks that she can manage on her own? What kind of tasks does your mother need help in? If there is no one at home, and she is dependent, you will have to take her along, or hire someone to look after her.
Distance or regular learning: What course of study/career do you wish to pursue? If it is the Science stream, then you need to attend college. If not, look for an Open University — IGNOU is the best. Admissions can be done online and study material too is sent online. Even if the Study/Examination Centre is a bit far, you only need to travel to give your exams twice a year. Check the website: ignou.ac.in (for information) and ignouonline.ac.in (for admissions). You can download the IGNOU mobile app for study material.
Finances: You will have to spend money on your education and on hostel fees. If your mother accompanies you, you will have to pay rent instead. Is that feasible for you? If you have relatives in other towns/cities, is it possible to move there so your mother can be taken care of while you attend college? Is it financially viable to hire a full-time help/maid to stay with your mother?
These questions may help you decide on a practical course of action.
Nasreen Hashambhoy is a Counsellor, Life Coach and a Facilitator of training programmes for schools and corporates. Through a combination of coaching, counselling and facilitation techniques based on cognitive science and positive psychology, she helps clients achieve their true potential. She is the author of the series Values In Action published by Better Yourself Books.