Let me put this out there - being a parent is no easy job! In fact, it's the hardest job you'll ever have. And it's a job you'll have for the rest of your entire life. It's daunting, tiring, miserable and cruel.

Yes, I said it! Being a mother is cruel.

There are many sleepless nights. There are far too many blowout diapers that make you gag every time you clean them up. Then there's the spit up and throw up that sticks to your hair like glue. You think to yourself, "I haven't showered in three days, but I'll sacrifice that for some sleep." Finally, the child can sleep through the night and you can breath a sigh of relief! But wait, don't forget the potty training.

Terrible twos? God, no. "Please don't spit on me, or the TV, or the floor." "Please do not use mommy's pads as stickers for the wall!" "NO! Do not eat the toothpaste!"

Motherhood is pretty much giving up your privacy for the first 5 years. You can't take a bath without the shower curtain being open and you can't use the bathroom without little fingers peeking underneath the door.

While not thinking about the children, you are constantly worrying about a million other things. What should I make for dinner? Do I need to do laundry today? Wait, I need more dish soap. What should I pack for lunch tomorrow? Do I even have enough turkey to make sandwiches for tomorrow? Coffee! I need more coffee and creamer.

Dinner is made and that's all that matters by the end of the night. Your family has food on their plate that's anything other than fast food. It's time to load to dishwasher, but you're drained of energy and pooped.

But when you're a student mother during finals, that's when the fun begins! You ignore all your household chores and replace it with much needed study time. Am I going to let my child eat Kraft macaroni and cheese for the third night in a row? Should I waste my time cooking something healthy that will probably end up thrown on the floor? Or should I make my life easier and give them food that they'd be willing to eat without any whining... like McDonald's? When it's during finals week you bet I will be picking the latter!

In sum, the life of a parent may be hard. Well, to be honest, it sucks. But it does come with many rewards. It's all worth it when you get that hug at the end of the night with an, "I love you, mom!"

For the majority of young student parents, we did not plan on getting pregnant. In my case, I had absolutely no intention on getting pregnant during my first year of college. In fact, finding out about my pregnancy was one of the most depressing situations I've ever been through. But we can't change the past. We're women! We must stick through the hard times and we will come out strong and independent!

To all the student mothers, we see your hard work! We see your perseverance! The fact that you are succeeding in school and work while having a family to take care of is something to be very proud of. You are some of the hardest working individuals out there. Keep doing what you're doing and one day this will all pay off.

Here's to all the moms simultaneously balancing school, work, family, and everything else above! You're doing a great job!