All in the family

Throughout the day, Cindy Flynn can be seen around Ballantine Hall, waiting outside the hallways for her daughter, Amanda. But Cindy isn't waiting to pick up her daughter or give her a ride home; instead, the two are attending college together. They're even in the same English class.\nCindy, a freshman in the school of continuing studies and mother of three, explained she has wanted to return to school and take classes for some time. After Amanda, her middle child and only daughter, graduated from Bloomington High School South this past spring, the timing seemed right. \n"She (Amanda) was my motivation to return," Cindy said. "I knew I'd have a good study partner and I knew we would be able to discuss (class-related) issues," she said, explaining Amanda has always done well academically. \nBut Amanda, an exploratory freshman, admits to feeling a little different about the situation than her mother when the school year first began. \n"At first I was a little leery," she said. "I thought it would be embarrassing to have my mom in one of my classes, especially in college."\nThe two sat in the back of their large English lecture at first, attempting to remain invisible to the rest of the class. But as the semester went by, Amanda became more accepting of her situation.\n"I'm not embarrassed anymore," she said. "I realized it's kind of a comfort to have her there. I always have someone to go to for help."\nCindy agreed and said she appreciates having her daughter to sit with in the class. \n"I have someone to sit with and talk to since these classes are usually full of young people," she said. \nAmanda said in the beginning, she found it difficult to tell others her mother was in school with her.\n"I'm always afraid of how people will react," Amanda said. "They're probably thinking 'why would you go to school with your mom,' because so many people go to college to get away from their parents." \nOne of Amanda's friends, freshman Brynn Nightenhelser, was the first person to know the Flynns' little secret.\n"I personally wouldn't want my mom going to school with me," Nightenhelser said. "But since they get along so well, I think it's awesome."\nAs Amanda started telling more and more people, she realized most people thought their story was interesting rather than strange.\n"At first people were like, that's weird, but the more they thought about it, they decided it was actually pretty cool," Amanda said.\n"People at work and our family and friends all think it's really neat," Cindy said.\nThe two said though they have always been close, their bond has been strengthened by the extra time they spend together in class.\n"We've always been close," Amanda said of her relationship with her mother. "I tell her things I would never tell my dad."\n"Now we have a different relationship," Cindy said, "an academic relationship. We can study together."\nThe two also admitted going to school together has made each perform to the best of their abilities, as the competition between the two is fierce.\n"I always knew my mom was smart," Amanda said. "But now I know even better."\nBoth Cindy and Amanda received the exact same score on their mid-term exam in English: an A. \nBut as for who's the better student, Amanda admits, "actually Mom is ahead by a few points. I can't believe it, she's been out of school for seven years and she has so many other things (going on) and she's still beating me."\n-- Contact staff writer Brittany Hite at bhite@indiana.edu.