“It takes a village.”

Although commonly applied to raising children, that saying is also highly relevant when pursuing an MBA. When I started my journey in Fuqua’s Weekend Executive MBA, I was extremely nervous. My anxiousness stemmed from questions of affordability, self-confidence, and the balancing act of pursuing higher education while fulfilling family and work obligations.

Can I afford this?

From the moment I received my acceptance letter to Duke, my mind was flooded with the seeds of self-doubt about the cost of education. Although my family had always encouraged me to further my education, I questioned if I could live up to its costs. It was at that exact moment that my mom sat me down and reframed my thinking:

“You spent much more on your home than the cost of this program. You treated your home as an investment, and you didn’t hesitate with that decision,” she said. “That is how you need to view this. Instead of investing in your home, you are investing in yourself.”

My mom’s encouragement that day led me to take the much-needed leap I had been so anxious to make. Her support and confidence in me, even when I couldn’t see it myself, has framed my approach to the program the rest of the way.

Can I do this?

Once the excitement of getting into Duke settled down, the overwhelming feeling of imposter syndrome began to settle in. Was I smart enough? What if I didn’t have what it took?

It wasn’t until I began my first semester that this feeling started to subside. As I connected with my fellow classmates and learned about their journeys, I reflected and realized I wasn’t alone. Almost all of us shared these all too familiar worries. We all had lives outside of school, obligations to tend to, and the persisting self-determination to make the most of our educational experience. This realization established a foundation of togetherness and camaraderie among my schoolmates, truly making a difference in my outlook.

Still, this level of comfortability would not have been solidified if it weren’t for my family. Specifically, my husband and siblings consistently reinforced that I was where I belonged. They reminded me of the sacrifices I had made to get to this point and everything I had done in my life to earn this opportunity.

The Balancing Act

Working full-time and meeting family commitments while pursuing an MBA can sometimes feel like a high-wire act. There were moments when I felt I couldn’t live up to performing my best in school and work, while not missing out on family time. I am glad I had my family as an anchor in those moments.

When I had to go straight from work to school, my husband was making dinner. When I was feeling overwhelmed and that feeling of dread over the laundry piling up started to creep in, my mom would come to help me clean. When I needed advice, my siblings, husband, mom, and entire family were there to help encourage me.

Going through this program taught me the true value of having a strong foundation of people who believe in you. Although there will be only one name on each of the degrees at graduation in May, our families deserve just as much recognition for this accomplishment as we do.