For adults returning to college, the prospect of continuing their recovery can add academic, mental, and emotional challenges to an already stressful time. For Amanda Sauri, it offers both academic and personal lessons.

As a child, Sauri grew up in a family environment of alcoholism, which led to stints in the foster system and her own struggles with alcohol. “Ever since I started driving at 16, I’d been going to AA meetings and trying therapy. I’d go from meeting to meeting and collect my 30-, 60-, and 90-day sober chips so often that I could probably throw a poker party,” she says.

Although she had gone to college, a series of DUIs led to probation, a traumatic brain injury, and a failed attempt at rehabilitation. “Alcoholism stole most of my life, my job and my education, and I moved away from my family,” Sauri recalled.

She remained sober during her pregnancy with her son, but soon afterward she fell back into the depths of alcoholism. A stint in prison and the realization that she was exhausted by the effects of alcohol led to a reassessment of her relationship with it.

Today, Sauri has been sober for over three years. She returned to college and earned her associate’s degree in liberal arts in 2021 and is working toward her bachelor’s degree in business administration through UW-Madison Online. Over the past two years, she has won multiple scholarships for returning adult students, including the Single Parent Undergraduate Scholarship.

Her urge to finish something made her go back to university.

“I wanted to return to something good in my life that was recoverable from my struggle with addiction,” Sauri says. “Education has been my peaceful outlet since I was a kid living in chaos — or going to another new school or home where I was alone. Learning has always been a refuge for me.”

She advises other students in recovery not to be embarrassed by the title. “It’s always been positive for me to tell people I’m in recovery while I’m in college,” Sauri says. “It generally leads to honest, open, down-to-earth conversations.”

She also advises students in recovery to be aware of environments or situations that may be challenging. “Think about the workload you’re taking on, who you’re surrounding yourself with, and what situations are best for you to engage in or leave alone. Being overwhelmed and tired can be a huge trigger.”

Sauri is now a mother of two and hopes to earn her bachelor’s degree in the spring of 2026. She would like to work in office management for a general contracting firm. In the meantime, she is working on her studies and recovery with an eye toward improving her own life and that of her children.

If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse, call the Wisconsin Addiction Recovery helpline at 211. Trained counselors can help you find treatment and recovery services for free and confidentially.