Juggling being both a parent and a college student can be a tedious task, but a new group on campus is trying to make the lives of single parents a little easier.

A support group for single parents who are also students is being reinitiated on campus, and will hold its first meeting this week, said Joycelynn Phillips, academic adviser to minority student affairs, and adviser to the support group.

Senior family and consumer science major Marshata Caradine initiated getting the support group started so single parents like herself would have someone to share their issues with.

“Parents can meet and greet each other; support each other,” Caradine said.

The first meeting will take place at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the African-American Cultural center and will have guest speaker Angela Herrera, who will speak about her experiences as a single parent at Eastern and offer survival tips, Phillips said.

Since all single parents have different experiences and issues, “the floor is open” to any sort of discussion the parents would like to bring up, Caradine said.

As a single parent of a 6-year-old boy, Caradine said that she would consider mentioning the need for reliable day care, the need for more shuttle bus stops and the difficulty finding “me” time.

“It is draining,” Caradine said of the need to be both a parent and a student.

Caradine said in many of her classes she notices that most students just come to class and are in and out the door. She would like to create an atmosphere in the support group where people can become friends and be able to know people in their own college.

“We are a unique group,” Caradine said of single student parents.

The format of the support group will be tailored to what the participants want, Phillips said.

Parents are welcome to bring their children with them to the meetings, Caradine said.

A second meeting is planned for Thursday, Nov. 14 at 1:30 p.m. at the African-American Cultural Center and will have guest speaker Deborah Schultz, an Eastern Health Services nurse, to discuss childhood immunizations.

For more information, call Phillips or Cindy Martin at 581-6692 or Caradine at 581-2598.