How a Full-Time Housewife Managed to Graduate from an American Community College

I'm Miyu, living in Los Angeles.

I know many moms out there are working hard every day to manage childcare and housework while also finding time for their studies and hobbies. When I was a full-time housewife, I enrolled in a community college in Santa Monica, and over the course of four years, I earned two degrees and graduated. I am writing about that journey here.

Summer 2011

My family moved from Florida to Los Angeles. After caring for my mother-in-law until she passed away in Florida, we decided to start a new life in Los Angeles, where there are many Japanese people and Japanese companies.

However, it was the middle of the Lehman Shock, and the world was in a deep recession. California's unemployment rate was at its worst, and I couldn't find a job.

Grants

I had no choice but to visit the welfare office to ask for assistance. The welfare officer taught me not only about financial aid but also in detail about grants for community college.

Community college grants are provided by the government to students who need financial assistance, covering up to a certain amount without the need for repayment. Furthermore, in California, there is a benefit that waives tuition fees, so I decided to enroll in community college.

The state was focusing on adult education as a way to break out of the record-high unemployment rate. The welfare department was linked with the public community college's counseling office, and because I had children, I was granted not only financial aid and tuition waivers but also coverage for textbooks and educational materials.

I have not naturalized, so I am a Japanese citizen with permanent residency, but I am grateful that I was able to receive such treatment.

And so, my life began at community college, studying alongside students of various nationalities and age groups.

The Joy of Learning

After the enrollment process, the first thing I did was take a placement test to determine my English and math levels. I was anxious because it had been a long time since I had studied, but my English was at a level where I could take college-level English classes.

However, math was a problem. I didn't think I was that bad at math, but because I didn't know the English terms used in math, I had to start from middle school-level math.

I treated my math classes as English classes, memorizing the terms one by one, getting used to the math taught at the community college, and eventually, I even studied calculus.

At Santa Monica College, all kinds of learning were possible. There were a wide variety of classes such as cosmetology, music, art, business, and nursing, and my dreams just kept growing.

To transfer to a four-year university, I had to take the general education courses specified by each university or department. Aiming for transfer, I took English, math, history, economics, science, and more. Because of the language barrier, I studied twice or three times as hard as everyone else, and I was able to get an A in almost every subject.

Unlike when I was just a housewife, I was happy that my hard work was evaluated through my grades. Challenging myself was fun. The act of learning itself, which increased and deepened my knowledge, was enjoyable.

It was difficult to find time to study. I would wake up at 3:00 a.m., turn on the kitchen light so as not to disturb anyone, and work on calculus problems. I will never forget the joy I felt when I arrived at the correct answer.

My husband also secured a job, and with government grants coming in, we became a little more financially stable. I began working as a Japanese tutor at the community college.

Towards my dream

Not long after I started attending community college, I was drawn to the charm of the piano and majored in it in the music department. I was able to find something I truly loved.

However, thinking about future employment, after completing the music program, I also studied in the business department. I learned computer skills, accounting, business English, and more, which helped me in my job search and allowed me to secure a position at a Japanese company.

Since graduating, while working in accounting, I still play the piano, which I love, and continue to refine my skills.

Studying music, business, and many general education subjects at the community college has become a great asset to me.