Are You a Mom Who Wants To Go Back To School?

Have you thought about going back to school? How would you feel if you and your child attended college together? Thanks to my partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures., travel and accommodations provided, I attended the premier of LIFE OF THE PARTY (in theaters May 11,) …and asked myself those very questions!

As moms, we often put our life on pause to be a wife and mother, pay the bills or whatever life demands of us.  It’s a sacrifice we are most often willing to make as we understand the choices we make directly impact the future of our families.

This is the choice I made early on.  After I had my daughter, I struggled to keep up my college courses, taking a few a year to keep trucking onto my goal of getting a degree in Journalism.  After my first son was born, finishing college seemed like a pipe dream that wouldn’t come to fruition.  When my second son was born, and I decided to stay at home to raise my children,  I figured that I wouldn’t ever finish my college degree.

It was a compromise that I willingly made, but I have to admit it never sat well with me.  I highly value education and I wanted my children to not only hear the advice that they should go to college, but to lead by example.  This led me to opt to continue my college education in my late thirties, graduating right after my 40th birthday, summa cum laude from our local university.

Despite the fact that I was already a published author with an extensive curriculum, periodical and blogging career already established, obtaining my Bachelor’s degree afforded me an excellent boost to my resume, and a sense of accomplishment that was priceless.  It illustrated to my children that goals can be completed no matter what your age or status and that higher education was something I truly valued enough to pursue long after the typical age of college attendance.

In LIFE OF THE PARTY, Deanna (Melissa McCarthy) is at a crossroad in her life, having lived the role of dutiful wife and mother she finds out that her husband is having an affair and wants a divorce.  With few threads of her self-imposed identity left, she decided to pursue her life-long dream of obtaining a degree in Archaeology.

I didn’t live on campus and attend frat parties like Deanna, nor attend school at the same time as my daughter, but the desire she had and “fish out of water” scenarios are similar to what I experienced.  I thoroughly related to her awkwardness as a mature adult on campus with young adult, her nervousness to give a presentation during class time, and her need to redefine her roles.

I think having my daughter (or sons) attend college with me would certainly present some challenges.  While it would likely have it’s rewards, it could definitely be an interesting mix as college is a time when children are seeking independence, not their mom hanging out at frat parties with them.

Watching LIFE OF THE PARTY brought me straight back to those campus days I shuffled through in my late 30’s and gifted me with plenty of laughter as McCarthy takes heading back to school to a whole new level!

I had the lovely fortune to attend the LIFE OF THE PARTY red carpet premiere in Alabama at Auburn University for a preview of the film and some pretty awesome moments on and off the red carpet.  It was energizing to stay at the alumni hotel across from the campus, get pampered with hair and makeup prior to the event, and catch up with McCarthy and cast at the premiere.

After a fun evening of fraternizing on the red carpet, we had the chance to preview the film and then attend a fabulous block party after filled with good food, marching bands and a welcoming buffet of Alabama barbecue goodies!

And I had a fabulous “selfie” moment with Melissa McCarthy that I’ll never forget!  She is such a kind, gracious woman who is beautiful inside and out and just as lovely in person as you would expect her to be.

The movie tickled my funny bone to no end, in fact, my first reaction I shared was “I laughed so hard I nearly split my Spanx! Pure, epic fun with a whole lot of heart. McCarthy definitely holds her crown up high as the ultimate Queen of Comedy in Life of the Party!”

Everyone should grab their mom, daughter, bestie or significant other and head out this Mother’s Day weekend to enjoy this hilarious film that makes some awesome, profound statements about what it means to be a mom and woman with dreams.

Ultimately, I love the empowering message that LIFE OF THE PARTY offers all women – even if you put your life on pause for awhile, it’s never too late to further your education or make your dreams come true!