N D DAILY NEWS
THE BALANCING ACT
Every day, senior Kileah Adkins juggles college, work and being a single parent to provide for her son. Tier Morrow Features Editor
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ileah Adkins follows the same routine every morning as she tries to balance raising her 3-year-old son, Lucien, and all of her other responsibilities in life. She and her son live in a small, income-based apartment on Tillotson Avenue, close to work, Ball State and his preschool. “I won’t lie — there are days when it gets rough,” Adkins said. “Yes, we are struggling right now because I’m a poor, single mother, but I try to push myself by seeing the big picture. I’m miserable now, and I can stay that way the rest of my life, or I can push through for two more years and be able to give Lucien the life I want for him.”
Childhood Although Adkins was born in Muncie, she and her mother moved to Corbin, Kentucky, when Adkins was young. In August 2007, Adkins began her first semester at Eastern Kentucky University, but less than a year and a half later, she transferred to Ball State. During her second round of college at Ball State, Adkins said her classes and home life began to overwhelm her, so she ran.
04.25.2019
Kileah Adkins, senior English education major, drops her son, Lucien Miller, off at Hazelwood Christian Preschool April 12, 2019. Sometimes she said it can be a struggle to drop him off. REBECCA SLEZAK, DN “Instead of facing my problems, I dropped out of school and ran to the Florida Keys,” Adkins said. “In a few months, I met a guy and got pregnant.”
Lucien’s birth Lucien Vaughn Adkins was born Oct. 30, 2015. Adkins said the first few months after she and her boyfriend brought Lucien home were an adjustment for her.
“[His dad] stayed home with me for a week,” Adkins said. “He knew how to change a diaper and I didn’t. He had to show me a lot about what I needed to do to take care of my son.” Six months later, Adkins said she found out Lucien’s dad had gotten into trouble and was on his way to see them for the last time, but he never made it before he was arrested. “It was really hard when he first left because I didn’t
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really have that other person to rely on,” Adkins said. “It was definitely the most challenging, but it has also been the most rewarding because I have learned that I am stronger than I thought I was, and I have grown as a person.”
College, round 3 Going back to college was not something Adkins ever thought she would do, but as a single mom of a toddler, she
said she knew she had to do it for him. “It was really hard to be a student again,” Adkins said. “I have gotten much better at dealing with stress than I was. I have been able to deal with my own doubt and overcome it.” Even though she said her first semester back in classes was difficult, Adkins said she really connected with her creative writing teacher, who has been a huge support.
Darolyn Jones, assistant teaching professor of English, said Adkins has always shown a level of maturity higher than her classmates, and she always comes to class prepared. “I think Ki is really in the right field for her,” Jones said. “Since she has a child, she will be able to view teaching differently because she will be more empathetic and compassionate, especially to parents who are trying to juggle a lot.”
4See BALANCE, 10
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