Theresa Bashiri-Remetio

Wearing many hats
What’s it like to be a student, work full time, and be the mother of an infant? Just ask Theresa Bashiri-Remetio.

My life is filled with a lot of running around as I work full-time as a senior staff accountant, have a 6-month old son, and handle school work. There’s never a dull moment and my life requires a lot of juggling. I just have to roll with the punches. On a daily basis there’s a deadline or something that needs to get done. I can’t push things off because every day is chaotic enough. I just focus on what I need to get done at the present moment and I breathe a big sigh of relief when I make it through each day.

At Oakton, I’m currently working toward my certified public accounting certificate in order to prepare for the board exam. Part of me wanted to wait to go back to school, but I thought it would be best to take accounting classes before my son is really able to remember things.

On top of it all, I’m also a student trustee. I couldn’t help but say yes when I was asked to fill the position. I never realized how much the Board of Trustees impacts the College and I enjoy my role of communicating relevant information to the student body.

The biggest challenge with my busy schedule is being away from my son so much. It hurts not being able to be with him as much as I would like. However, at night I’m able to spend some quality time with my son by snuggling with him when he wakes up for his bottle.

What helps me to get through the craziness is remembering that this is only temporary. I’m making some sacrifices now with the intent that once I get my CPA certificate I’ll be able to find a better job and make more money for my family. With my hectic life I get tired easily, but I can’t let that stop me – that’s why there’s coffee.

Theresa Bashiri-Remetio