Woman's Chance to Get Through College

Stuck

2011-09-15T13:49:00.002-05:00

I'm not totally stuck. I'm just having a hard time figuring out what to do. It's been hard to focus on school this semester since I've been working and a good portion of my thoughts are dedicated to how my paycheck will be divided amongst the bills. This is also the semester where I repeat several classes in an attempt to raise my GPA and get off of academic probation. Why is this so difficult for me right now? Well, there's a reason why I didn't pass these classes the first time I took them. In my class about the first amendment I had a hard time focusing not only because of my personal crisis, but also because I just had a hard time paying attention in class to my professor who explained everything in detail, but was and still is incredibly boring. On top of that, whenever I did make an honest attempt at passing his exams, it seems that the things he reviewed in class and his phrasing on the actual exams were not quite the same. In my Spanish class that I am taking this semester I'm having a hard time because my instructor is not very thorough. I took this same class last semester with a different instructor and I probably would not be taking it this semester if I had known how to balance my classes with my full time job. I passed and got credit from the university, but I passed with a D and to get credit towards my major I'll need to pass it with a C. Now I have an exam tomorrow in my first amendment class and I am totally unprepared. Work has been an issue, but I'd be lying if I said that there was no possible way I could've tried to prepare for it. I could've at least read the chapter if nothing else. So, now I'm frustrated with everything, work and school, and when push comes to shove, regardless of circumstance, I have to take responsibility for my part. Yes, I went through a period of depression for several months and that impacted my education and my finances last year. I'm still seeing the effects of it a year later. This past semester was much better emotionally and I decided to work full time. I struggled through school because I would be so tired from working that I had difficulty making it to class on time. I need the money, but school comes before the job. There are plenty of other jobs just like the one I have now. They'll always be available. If I flunk out of school, there's no telling how long it would be before I got another chance to try it again. I'll be skipping my test tomorrow. However, from here on out there really are no more excuses. I absolutely have to pass all of my classes or else there is no more probation. There's suspension and possibly expulsion. That's not an option.

Making Progress

2011-07-15T12:12:00.003-05:00

Things are looking up. I'm gathering my thoughts. Yesterday I was a little afraid that I might have to take out a loan to pay for this coming semester and that is the one thing I want to avoid. I have no intentions of paying back any money after I graduate, which hopefully will be the end of next year. Fortunately, I received the full amount for my Pell Grant and only owe $112 on my account. Grateful and relieved only scratch the surface in describing how I feel right now. I need this semester to be as stress-free as possible, so I'm glad that money won't be a problem after the disaster that was this past school year. Pray for me.

I've been scoping out a few blogs and publishers who are willing to pay a respectable price for quality material. I guess it's respectable, anyway, or at least compared to what I'm used to getting paid. I'm a little nervous, though. I'm going through that whole "What-if-they-don't-like-me?" stage fright, especially since most of them want commentaries. They want to read what I think or how I feel about any given topic and I'm not used to writing that type of thing. I'm used to writing the cut-and-dry how-to articles and informative where-to-find type pieces. I think what I need to do is take a little vacation. I plan to do just that in a couple of weeks. Oh, I'll have a few articles completed and submitted before I leave, but that'll just be the tip of the iceberg. When I come back from my little break from reality, the work begins.

Preparing My Mind...

2011-07-03T23:30:00.002-05:00

So, I officially decided to ease my way back into freelance writing, but there are a few adjustments that I'll need to make. Organization, prioritization and non-procrastination. Which sites and ezines will I write for? When will I write? How much will I write? How will I maintain a part-time 4 to 12 (as opposed to a 9 to 5), a full-time course load at school and a freelance writing business on the side as well as a social life and church activities? How will I keep from losing my mind from stress and lack of "me-time"? That's what I am trying to figure out now. That's why I said I would "ease" back into freelancing, rather than jump in head first. Jumping in head first can be the cause of many headaches. Trust me... I know.

What to do when broke, busted and disgusted...

2011-06-23T01:08:00.002-05:00

Am I really and truly broke, busted and disgusted? No, not really. I am a little frustrated, though, with my job. So, that leads me to some more decision-making. Do I quit my job and try to find another? Do I go back to my roots and write for a living? Up until I fell into my depression that I eventually climbed out of I had been a struggling freelance writer who had finally began seeing the fruits of her labor, averaging $12 for every hour I spent writing as opposed to the $2 for every hour when I first began. Now I have a job making a whopping $8.50 per hour. I'm not complaining because it is a steady paycheck, albeit a low one. I'm glad to even have a job since many employers are afraid to hire college students. I want to quit my job because I dislike having someone else have complete control over my schedule, but I don't want to quit because I like have the stability of a guaranteed paycheck every two weeks as long as I'm employed. There is no stability in freelance writing, or at least not really. That's mostly because left to myself I'm pretty reliable, but when life happens (as it did last summer when I fell into my depression) I tend to shut down as opposed to throw myself into hours and hours of work to drown my sorrows. For me, being depressed or overly stressed is completely counterproductive. I'm the exact opposite of a workaholic when I'm stressed. Instead, I'm unfocused and fuzzy-minded, therefore nothing gets accomplished. The good thing is that I'm not depressed anymore. After a little counseling and what I call "real-life therapy" I now feel that I can smile just because I'm happy to be alive. Now I just have to worry about paying to be alive. Cut my hours at work and freelance in my free time or dive head-first into freelancing? I suppose the former would be the smart thing to do. Ease my way out of the $8.50 and back into the freedom of freelancing.

Getting In Control

2011-05-28T13:55:00.002-05:00

So, this semester was much better than last semester. At least, from a more optimistic perspective, I only failed one class this semester, instead of failing three like I did last semester. The bad news about that is the fact I have lost yet another scholarship and I may not receive as much financial aid as I did when I had a respectable GPA. The good news, however, is that I am still able to enroll in classes next semester and I am still eligible for financial aid, no matter how much or little I may actually receive. Now I'm just trying to regain control over my life. So far I've taken some great strides, but I still have a ways to go before I get to where I want to be. In the meantime, however, I am learning how to be content in whatever situation I am faced with and how to make the best of what I am given. The issues/concerns that I am faced with now: paying for school next semester, paying off credit card debt, saving up for a new car...money...period. Money, however, is not something worth stressing over (Neither is school, for that matter). Anyway, regardless of the situation, I believe that in the end, everything that happens is all a part of some grand scheme of sorts, and it all works together for the greater good, if one allows it.

Life As I Know It...

2011-03-21T11:26:00.000-05:00

I've loved and had my heart broken. Last semester I failed three of my classes because I let the stress of being in love and not being loved back interfere with my school work. It's not the only reason I had such a hard time last semester since I did transfer to a school that I never really cared for. Now it is spring break and I'm still having a little trouble with school. Not because my classes are hard, but because my priorities aren't what they used to be. I'm okay, though. I'm working on getting over some of the insecurities that surfaced while I was pouring my heart out but not really getting the response I had hoped for. Now I am picking myself back up and it has been a pretty slow process. I guess, though, that anything that has a strong foundation takes time to develop. School is supposed to be pretty straight forward. No one tells you how to deal with school when life happens. Some people find their refuge in the distraction of school. For me, school just made it even worse because, as I said earlier, I am now attending a school that I really don't care for. So now what? What are my options? Well, now I have a job. It is a low-paying job, but even with my debts my purpose for working is not really for the money. When I'm not at school I'm at church. Having a job takes up the rest of my idle time, so it takes my mind off of the things that I would struggle to not dwell on. Church has become my refuge. Sunday school, Sunday morning service and Wednesday night bible study have become my opportunities to take whatever burdens I have and take them somewhere else. My church has become my home away from home. School...well...like I said, it's not as high up on my list of priorities as it once was, but I have every intention of finishing. I guess my point today is that sometimes, even with the best intentions and the most well-laid out plans, things can still go down the toilet. However, it is when things go down the toilet that you have to find a way to pick yourself up and come up with something else. Realize that the plans you make are tentative and subject to change. Then you move forward and learn to not be a fool by making the same mistakes twice.

The Summer So Far

2010-06-14T14:14:00.003-05:00

I've been out of school for a little over a month now. Finding away from home was quite a disappointing experience, however, I'm finding ways to keep the money flowing. Paid surveys and freelance writing are a girl's best friends right now. I'm also transferring schools and making my life a lot more pleasurable. Trying not to stress over finances at home is a job by itself, but I'm making it.

In Times of Confusion...

2010-04-18T13:16:00.003-05:00

...taking a few moments to meditate is always a good idea. I've been so unhappy at school and I think I've finally figured out why. I'm not happy with my education here and at times I feel really limited. How can I say that after just turning down an opportunity to study abroad in Guatemala for four weeks and gaining 6 credit hours towards my Spanish degree? Well, what skills can I say that I learned or had the opportunity to use in Intermediate Spanish this semester? Not much. The same can be said for my Mass Communications degree (emphasis in Digital Media). I don't think I'm getting all that I should. Of course, what you get out of your education is up to you, but this school is not really academically driven. Since this is a southern school there is a lot of emphasis on agriculture. This is a great place for agriculture. True, you can move on to have a great career in any other major after graduating from this school, but one thing that you may not pay attention to when you're an eager high school senior, you don't pay much attention to the school's declaration of academic excellence. You're more likely thinking about whether or not they have your major, how the dorms look, and what activities you can get involved in once you get there. Eventually, you may want to actually learn a few things about your major while you're there. Some people care more about their degree than their education and that's fine for them. That is not fine for me. I want to feel like I am well-equipped to enter the world of mass media with the ability to speak more than one language. I don't regret my time here. I just feel like I have outgrown it. My ACT score was 25. I received several scholarships from other schools but I chose this one because they contacted me first and I had little time to act. But, as we all know, I no longer have that scholarship, so there is nothing keeping me here. I think about how things would have been different if I had gone to a school that required a higher ACT score for a scholarship that covered almost all of my expenses. I was just two points short of getting a scholarship to a school in Tennessee that I was accepted to. Who knows? Like I said, I don't regret my time here. My time here just may be coming to an end.

Long time, No post

2010-03-01T21:25:00.004-06:00

I knew quite a bit of time had passed since the last time I posted to this blog, I just didn't realize how much time had gone by. Last semester couldn't pass by quickly enough and this semester is the exact opposite. Midterms are next week! My grades aren't quite where I want them to be, so now is really the time to buckle down and get things done. I finally collected my first check for work-study. A whole $94.25 is what I had and, oh, how quickly it was spent once I put a third of that on my phone bill and bought printer ink and groceries. So, to supplement my work-study, I've been doing surveys and paid emails. I've actually been doing them for a few years but now it is a little more crucial than ever since I've officially made the decision to start paying down my debts. I just joined another site a couple of days and I'm sure it will help me out a great deal. It seems that now that I'm starting to get my head together, it's almost time to leave again. It'll be time to graduate before I know it and I'm looking forward to it!

The Sun Will Shine Again

2010-02-09T21:25:00.003-06:00

The past two weeks have not been the worst two weeks of my life. Far from it. The past two weekends have been pretty bad, but not the worst two weekends of my life. For the past two weeks I've been antisocial and broke and for the past two weekends I've had some sort of physical ailment. One weekend I had tonsillitis and this past weekend I had a horrible toothache. I've had this toothache for months now but I've been able to control the pain. This past weekend that pain came back with a vengeance. As terrible as tonsillitis was, I'd much rather have that than have a toothache. Why? Because at least I could sleep through the pain of swollen lymph nodes and hunger from barely being able to swallow oatmeal and nothing else. Every time I attempted to go to sleep with my toothache the pain got worse because I wasn't completely vertical. So, I ended up missing class on Monday because I was in terrible pain and I was sleep deprived. I would visit the dentist but financial times are a little hard right now, so mouthwash, garlic, and ibuprofen will have to do until I can see a medical professional. But I'm building up a tolerance to ibuprofen, so I'm not sure how much longer it will work for me. I'll have to slow down on the pill popping.

Not having a roommate has been quite interesting. I think I'm actually a little more antisocial now because of it, but I'm also tired of seeing the same people everyday (the downside of attending a small school in a small town: you see the same people no matter where you go). I'm in a bit of a slump. I wore myself out last semester. This semester has the potential to be so good but I'm a little slow getting into it. I guess it's something that most, if not all college students go through. School is stressful but we, the students, can make ourselves even more stressed by worrying and overdoing. I'll pick myself up over the next couple of days. I remember getting into a funk like this my freshman year. It may just be me, but I think I'm experiencing something that is common among many students. I guess the goal is to try to make it out alive.

Head of the Class

2010-01-27T16:09:00.003-06:00

I've officially been to all of my classes now. I had my first biological science lab today and I've been to all of my other classes and have gotten somewhat situated. This semester is looking good already. So many times last semester I had intentions of going to Spanish club, but I never went. Even in high school I meant to go to Spanish club meetings but never went. This past Friday I went to my very first meeting and was elected president of the club. Be careful what you pray for. I told God that I wanted to be involved in something on campus. I didn't want to be in several clubs or organizations but maybe one or two in which I could dedicate a little time to. Now, I'm the head of a club after attending one meeting. I've never held a title like that in any type of club or organization, I've always just been a member. I guess now is my chance to shine. It looks good on the resume, that's for sure. Aside from that, still needing a few textbooks and still trying to master the art of time management. For the time being, though, life is good.

Spring 2010

2010-01-16T11:57:00.004-06:00

Good news and bad news to start off the first post of the year. Bad news first: I did not get my scholarship back. I ended up having a 2.87 and I needed a 3.0. The only class that I was really disappointed in was World Lit and I'm on the verge of thinking that I got screwed in that class. I'm usually not that type of thinker when it comes to grades. Usually I don't argue with them because the grades I get are usually the grades I deserve but I got a C in that class I think I deserved at least a B. I was too tired to argue, though. Though writing is one of my strong suits, I've never been great with research papers. But I feel that when an instructor keeps handing you back a paper and tells you to fix it but never really states what's wrong with it and you review the MLA style book and you go to the writing center and take advantage of the services offered by the school library, that you should at least get a full C and not a C minus. It is also frustrating when you do extra credit in the same class but it has very little effect on your grade. It is even more frustrating when you make consistent C's on the exams in that class because the short answers that the instructor requested that you provide weren't long enough. And what's even more frustrating than all of that is the fact that you would actually attempt to do the 60 page reading assignments in the two days allotted and make A's on the quizzes and believe that you have at least a B in the class because of what you see on the grade sheet that is passed around the class every week only to find out that the information on the grade sheet is inaccurate. I'm just glad to be done with the class. Microeconomics wasn't much better. I really did put some effort into that class and I learned a great deal about Microeconomics. Unfortunately, the information that I knew was not the information that was on the test. I read the chapters in the textbook and I took notes. I'm just not that great with graphs. The graphs killed me. I'm proud of the D that I got in that class, though. At least I didn't fail.

The good news: I did finally get a work-study. It's only five hours a week but it is better than nothing and the hours are actually pretty good. My roommate moved into a different dorm because she got a job as a resident assistant. Great for her. I decided not to get another roommate and that's an extra $400 but it's worth it. I love my roommate but I'm loving the private room even more. This semester's classes are actually okay. I should be able to pull A's in most of them. Let's just pray that none of them turn out to be like World Lit. I'm looking for more scholarships online but if all goes well this semester I should be able to apply for another scholarship from the school for the fall semester.

For most of yesterday I was feeling like I felt last semester. That's not good. At some point last night I finally managed to pull out of that slump and take a look at all of the good things that I have to be thankful for and try to get into a positive frame of mind. I have no doubt that this semester will be better. It is going to be better because I am going to make it better. So, here's to a new year and a new semester!

It Ain't Over 'Til Its Over

2009-12-01T16:08:00.003-06:00

Exactly one month late on an update. I'll try to do better next time. Next week is finals week and my head has been spinning all semester. As far as that big decision is concerned, I did put in the paperwork for a double major. I might be signing my own death certificate by doing that but I'm going to go for it. Mass Communications and Spanish will be my specialties. I'm sure I'll be fine. I almost managed to master the art of time management when it came to studying but everything else was abandoned. Not as much time for surveys (which means less money for me) and less time for actually digesting the information that I was studying. My grades are fine in all of my classes. I have A's and B's in all of them except for one. One nice big ol' D in Microeconomics. It is killing my grade point average. Anything is possible during finals week, I've come to find that out in semesters past. That nice scholarship from the school is on the line. It's okay. The only thing that I can do is pray about it and find another one. In the meantime, I'll gather what's left of my brain and try to make the most of it for next semester. I have a feeling that next semester will be the semester when my grade point average is near perfect. It's all good though. Either way it'll be alright. I am really too excited about the end being so near.

Big Decisions

2009-11-01T16:42:00.002-06:00

Last week a plethora of big decisions came my way and this week is the week that I'm going to determine which ones are right for me. I won't go into too much detail until Tuesday rolls around but there's so much to think over. This week someone really made me think about choosing another major so that I can double major. I also have the opportunity to apply to be a tutor. I also have the opportunity to be a resident assistant. There's definitely no harm in trying them all but there's going to be a great deal of added responsibility next semester. There's no doubt that I'll try at least one of these things but will I try for them all? I'm still undecided about that. However, I'm in the middle of an assignment at this particular moment, so this one will be short. Just a brief update of what's been happening. Plans to post again on Tuesday!

Keep it Open

2009-10-13T22:08:00.004-05:00

Isn't openness the key to success in life? It seems like it. In order to determine whether or not a relationship is going to work you need to openly communicate with the other party. In order to ensure that you pick the right major or career, you need to have an open mind in all fields of study. In order to succeed in college you need to have an open mind because there's no getting around encountering different ideas, philosophies, and people, no matter how much you try to avoid them. I just had a conversation with my roommate about what we like and dislike about each other. I think I hurt her feelings more than she did mine. The thing is, most of what I said (and I didn't say it all) is stuff that has been bothering me for the last year and a half that we've been roommates. She really upset me last night but I waited until today to speak so that I wouldn't say something out of anger that I would later regret. I'm not sure if she'll get anything out of the conversation accept for the possibly bruised ego for tonight but I definitely got something out of it. If something bothers you, communicate. The worst that can happen is you and the other person won't be friends anymore. I know that that's a major thing, or at least can be, but if you can't communicate well, then your friendship may not be as strong as you think and you may not need that person around. You just can't be closed to anything, not even pain. You build resilience, patience, courage, and a few other helpful character traits. Some of us develop them a lot earlier and a lot quicker than others. Now, it's off to find some helpful resources for my Spanish class.

Collecting the Bonus Points

2009-10-06T20:08:00.003-05:00

It's been a pretty shaky last couple of weeks. I've really been trying to get in the groove of studying and I'm on the verge of going crazy. I do get a good deal of studying done, but I don't always get everything else done. But, never fear, I've had a chance to clear my head a little and I'm going to approach things in a different manner. I haven't done very well on a couple of my tests but the good thing about it is the fact that they were the first tests of the semester in those classes so there is time to make up for them. The other good thing: bonus points. Yes, those pesky little bonus points that I should have gotten last semester but didn't, hence the reason I'm on probation this semester. I could have gotten better grades last semester just on merit since I only had one grade less than a B, but that's a totally different story for another time. Back to the point, I'm a little bit more organized than before but I'm still not doing things as effectively as I could and now I'm starting to feel the pressure. I feel better now than I did yesterday and yesterday I felt a lot better than I did last week. I'm making progress. My planner has been one of my best friends these last couple of weeks and in the upcoming weeks we'll be even closer.

Changing Faces

2009-09-08T18:26:00.004-05:00

Today, I'll keep this relatively short since I do have some reading I need to get started on. I already knew before this school year started that my attitude toward almost everything was going to be a complete turnaround from last year. I'm finding that to be even more painstakingly true than I could have ever imagined. For instance, I already knew that I was going to be even more apathetic towards my roommate (if that were possible). I didn't know that I was quite going to take it to the extreme that I have. I already told you that her mother bought some of my textbooks for me. A few of them I bought myself. Why is it that she feels that she gets to sell my books back when her mother gave her the extra money to give to me for my (and I repeat MY) books? Didn't her mother give that money to me and just use her as a medium? Just because her mother didn't help her buy her textbooks doesn't mean that she gets to sell mine at the end of the semester. So, I guess that the only way to solve this, and it works well for me since I have so much doggone pride, is to pay her mother back. If her mother decides to give some of that money to her then that is between them. Then, there won't be any issue of who bought my books because in the end I will be able to say that I paid for all of my textbooks myself, my roommate's mother just helped me to defer the time period of when I would actually have to pay for them. Am I right or wrong? Help me out. I'm not as concerned with my hair anymore since I live in the deep south where it is always humid as all get out. I don't really talk to my roommate like I used to. She may think it's because she isn't around as much due to her sorority, but it has, in part, been intentional on my behalf. I just don't feel the need to talk to her the way that I used to since she does so much that irritates me. It really feels like I've been back for a few months now, but it's only been two weeks. It's going to be a long semester. I'm just going to have to try to make it a good one.

P.S. So much for keep it short ;-)

So Far, So Good

2009-09-01T16:38:00.003-05:00

I'm doing very well so far. It's only the second week of school but I'm off to a good start. I've ordered all of my textbooks, thanks to my roommate's mother. I've been on my game. However, it is only the beginning. I know it's going to get tougher as the semester progresses. I'm ready for it. This past weekend was awesome, though. We had our first football game and it was horrible. We lost 41-9. Fortunately, it's only the first game but I'm praying we don't have another season like last year's. Last year we only won two games out of ten. That's a decrease from the year before that when we won three games. I'm just hoping that since we won two last year we could at least win three this year. Pray with me. I'm just glad to be back. Now, it's off to reading a little bit of philosophy.

First Day Back

2009-08-26T15:03:00.003-05:00

I just finished my first day of classes and I can't really say that I'm excited about it. Don't get me wrong, I'm more than happy to finally be back at school, I just don't want to go to class. There aren't any other good options for me right now, so it is in my best interest to just get over it and buckle down. I don't have any textbooks yet but I got a $20 gift card for Amazon.com from a survey company and that paid for two of my books. Now I need $175 more to pay for the rest of them. I did find a website called Fetchbook.info which was great because it helped me to do a little comparison shopping. I just had to make sure I was finding the best deals at Amazon. Of course I already have assignments to do but they're pretty simple this first week. I'm pretty sure that most of my assignments this semester will mainly be reading assignments but I could be wrong. I'll just have to make sure I do my speed reading exercises so that I can get through it all in a timely manner. It is going to be a good year. I can feel it.

Two Weeks and Textbook Searching

2009-08-11T12:10:00.004-05:00

Less than two weeks until school starts and I am too excited. I guess the right thing for me to do is to go ahead and start packing now...we'll see how well that goes. What I'm really trying to do is get some money together to get my books. Trust that most, if not all, of my books will be used and will more than likely come from Amazon.com. Buying them from the school bookstore will cost me three times the amount that I'll spend online. If I really see a good deal on a new textbook, I'll probably buy from Amazon and then sell it back to the school at the end of the semester and get the majority of my money back. If not, I can sell it on WeBuyTextBooks.com and get a pretty good deal. Actually, I'll probably be halfway into the semester before I finally have all of my books. I'll manage, though.

Something crazy that I realized about a week ago, I'm a member of a site called Scour. Scour is a search engine that gives you points for each search that make. Once you get so many points, you can redeem them for Visa gift cards. What's so crazy about it is that I stumbled across it and tried to sign up for it and realized that I had been a member for a year. If only I had known that. I would have had two or three gift cards since I'm always doing some sort of research on the internet. Now I have the toolbar downloaded so that I can use it on a regular basis. I can use it whenever I have an assignment that requires research. It's a bit of a consolation, actually. If I don't do so well on the assignment, at least I'll still have points on Scour which will count towards a monetary reward later :-) It's definitely great for us poor college students.

Why Does College Cost so Much?

2009-07-22T17:20:00.002-05:00

My financial aid for the fall finally posted to my student account. I have a full Pell Grant and my academic scholarship increased but it is still not enough to cover all of cost. The scholarship that I lost for the semester would've covered that and given me a nice refund check. So, I'm in the process of writing a couple of essays for some scholarship competitions. Let's hope I win. I did, however, manage to save a little bit of money by decreasing the number of hours that I'm taking this semester. I only dropped one hour and it only saved me $51 but it's better than nothing. I also like my schedule a lot more now. I hated it before but I couldn't figure a way to make it work. I was determined today. Now, it's near perfect. I did some pricing on my books and once again I'll be buying my books on Amazon. If I buy them from the school bookstore it'll cost me around $325. It'll only be $110 if I shop on Amazon. That sounds like a deal to me. I could rent a couple of books. It is possible to do that. I don't think I will, though. Why is college so expensive? Sometimes I think I know the answer. Other times, I'm not so sure. It could be worse.

Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship

Making the Summer Count

2009-07-15T13:19:00.004-05:00

The summer is a little more than half-way over and I am so glad. While I haven't been unproductive this summer, I still haven't accomplished a few things that I would like to because I haven't really set any goals. I would like to lose about 10lbs. to keep my health on a good path. I would like to develop some good time management skills so that I can take them back to school and do a much better job of maintaining a good GPA this semester. I have been exercising from time to time so that my muscles won't totally go to waste. Now is still a good time to be looking for more scholarship money, which I have been doing that, too. I found a couple of scholarships that I qualify for (let's just pray that I'll get them). The price of everything went up at school. Tuition, room and board, meal plans, and extra fees have all gone up and it's ridiculous. Even if I still had my scholarship from the school this semester, it wouldn't cover all of the tuition. That's where my other scholarship would come in. That's also why it's important for me to get a full Pell Grant. The price of college is horrible. What's even more horrible is that I get charged an extra $200 for taking more than 15 hours worth of classes. I need 15 hours in order to fulfill the requirements of my scholarships but with the way that my class schedule worked, I would either have too many hours or too few. But, that's not my worse complaint with the higher education system. I still like college. It's a very important part of my life right now.

Money: Making It

2009-07-10T18:40:00.002-05:00

Where am I right now? I'll give you a hint...I'm not at school...where I'm supposed to be. I'm still at home. I had registered for school. First I had a class schedule but I had no dorm room because the housing office was a little slower than I had anticipated. Then, when I finally got a room, I had no class schedule because it had been erased since I didn't pay off my balance. I didn't pay off my balance because my room had not been charged to my balance. I also needed money, which I found out I needed a little more than what I thought, which is to be expected with college. So, I'm at home. Another two months at home. I'm overjoyed (sarcasm). While I'm waiting for school to start in August, I'll be trying to make some money. Really, I've been trying to make some money but I have yet to really reap the benefits of all my hard work. I'm a little disorganized. I'm working on that. I've decided to take on a little freelance writing to try to earn some money. I like to write, that's why I have so many blogs and a poetry site. I also run a small online store. I also do paid surveys and paid to click sites. Pretty soon, I'll be able to pay off my debt and actually have money to spend. I'm also about to start writing an essay for a scholarship competition, so wish me luck there. I've won money before for my writing, so let's hope that I can do it again! I've got all this free time, and so much alone time. I've got plenty to do, so here's to getting it done!

Trying to Get There

2009-07-02T11:18:00.002-05:00

This post is a couple of days late. I apologize. I'm the queen of procrastination and it is not a title that I wear proudly. I wouldn't be looking for more scholarships to replace the one that I lost this semester if I didn't have that title. Speaking of scholarships, I've found a couple that I'm sure I qualify for, so I'll be working towards those. I'm also supposed to be going back to school next week (I'll tell you how well that goes). That should work out since all I need is $600 by the end of today. Now, if only I could get $600. I'm a little more consistent now with my money making ventures, so now I'll have a more regular flow of extra cash coming in every month, which is good. Right now, the goal is to get enough to pay my phone bill. Eventually, I should have enough to start paying some of my other debts. I've got a lot of work ahead of me. The only thing left to do is get started.

Roommates, Food, and Refrigerators

2009-06-23T22:58:00.003-05:00

Not exactly a roommate anecdote, but a roommate experience. My roommate and I shared the refrigerator (and it was a small one) in the room, instead of us each having our own. There were (and probably will be) plenty of times when I absolutely hated that. Let me start off by saying that I love my roommate. I love her dearly. Here's the "but". She's spoiled. During the first semester, we didn't have much food in the refrigerator because we didn't have much money. All of that changed during the second semester. I got a huge refund check from my scholarships and grants and so did she. After I had set a little bit aside for bills and spring break, I decided to budget a little and spend the rest on food and other necessities. I learned something about myself very quickly during that time. I was so irritated every time I saw her go into the refrigerator and get something to eat when she didn't pay for anything. She had money, but she couldn't spend it because she had other things to pay for. She didn't have any bills, she really didn't have a car anymore because hers was out of commission, but she wanted to make her money last. I, however, had (still have) a credit card to pay off, a monthly phone bill and a few other expenses. I asked myself over and over again, why is it that she has other things to spend her money on and can't contribute to the grocery bill, and I actually have bills to pay but I'm the only one spending money on groceries and putting gas in my car to go to the grocery store. My roommate and I have sort of a mother-daughter relationship and, quite frankly, I'm sick of it. I'm her roommate, not her mother. I'm not supposed to be the only one buying groceries if we're both eating. She should pay for half. So, after a while of being frustrated with seeing her eat the food that I purchased with my hard earned money, I started asking her for ten or fifteen dollars to contribute to the eating fund. Now, this coming semester, she'll have to pay more than that if she wants to keep food in the room. Like I said before, I'm her roommate, not her mother. The moral of the story, if you share a refrigerator with your roommate, or plan to, then you should establish who pays for what food. Otherwise, it'll probably be best to have a fridge of your own. You may just save yourself a lot of stress that way.

My Philosophy on Homework

2009-06-16T00:13:00.003-05:00

I'm really looking forward to school starting. For one, I'll be able to post about a few school-related things that I'm going through, so you'll have a better understanding of college life. I'm also tired of being at home. I've begun to build a new life at college. All of my friends go to school with me. Even though my school is in a smaller town, it's home. I miss it so much. A few things will change, though, once classes start again. For one, I'll be a little more responsible in regards to homework. My roommate and I both take a different stand when it comes to grades. She's an overachiever and feels terrible when she gets anything less than an A. I felt that way until high school. When I was younger I felt I had to have perfect grades. In high school, however, I worked and participated in a few extracurricular activities. I had A's and B's in all of my classes but I didn't beat myself up over the B's. I had developed the attitude that said that getting an A was not as important as learning. I really found myself believing in that philosophy once I started college. I don't believe in losing sleep over homework. I refuse to stay awake until 2 o'clock in the morning on the day before or of a test when I had at least two weeks to study for it. My roommate will do that, but I won't. That also probably explains why we both think the way that we do. She has an almost perfect GPA but it seems like she knows so little. You'll understand a little bit better once I get into the Roommate Anecdotes. She gets the work done in her classes but she doesn't actually digest any information which really defeats the purpose in going to school. You're supposed to learn something while you're there. She feels that if she gets the A now, she can learn whatever she needs to learn later. I sense a tad bit more stress in her future than she'd probably like to have. Now, even though I have taken a less strict approach to homework, I still try to do well in all of my classes. My errors mostly came during my first semester when I got a little lazy. I'm not any less intelligent than my roommate because my grade point average is lower. If anything, I probably know a great deal more than her because I am a little more well rounded than she is. My life is so much less stressful because I feel that way. I can actually enjoy learning.

The Freshman 15...Be Aware

2009-06-09T22:33:00.004-05:00

Okay, so I actually lost weight this past year. I lost somewhere around 22 pounds. My friends on the other hand...my roommate had a little trouble maintaining her weight and my other two best friends gained a little. I needed to lose weight, though. I could stand to lose a little more but this past school year gave me just the boost I needed. My appetite decreased because I didn't have as much opportunity to eat a bunch of junk but with discounts to local pizza places and Chinese buffets I can see how some freshmen do gain a little weight during the school year. I've tried to become a little more health conscious over the last couple of years but being off on my own really set a few things in stone for me. Since I had to put food in my own refrigerator, I started making healthier choices. I also became a little more active and did a little more walking. During my senior year of high school I started having trouble with my blood pressure and, while part of that was due to stress, my weight had a big impact on that. Then, during the summer months my weight hit an all-time high and I started having pains in my left arm. From what I've read, pain in your left arm is a sign that something isn't right near your heart. Freshman year, for me, was a world of good. I had people warn me about the Freshman 15 and I was scared. Well, was I pleasantly surprised. Losing those 20 pounds really made me feel so much better. Another 10 or 15 will really do me good. I suppose it's another one of those things that people warn you about, like peer pressure, but when push comes to shove, you have to make those decisions. Keep a good lookout on your health, ladies (and gentlemen). You'll need it to get through college.

Goal for Woman's Lot #1

2009-06-08T15:44:00.002-05:00

So...in the spirit of developing good habits and setting goals, starting tomorrow I'm going to make weekly posts on this blog every Tuesday. Keep on the lookout for more updates!

The Value of Goal Setting

2009-05-28T13:56:00.002-05:00

You get sick of hearing about it in high school. You get tired of having your parents ask you about them. You won't get far in life without them (if you do, then you are extremely fortunate). Goals. I had set goals, but I failed to achieve them (otherwise I wouldn't be on academic probation right now). You need goals and you need plans. Now, my main goal is to get off of probation and maintain a decent GPA. Honestly, I don't think I really thought about that particular goal, or put much effort into it. I can imagine some readers reading this and making comments about how dumb I am for allowing this to happen, but it could happen to anyone. You fall into a trap. I worked my tail off in high school and if I continued to have that attitude now, I wouldn't have a dilemma. The particular trap that I fell into was laziness. I developed a lax attitude towards my homework and now I suffering the consequences. I suppose it's not a total negative that things happened the way that they did. I wouldn't have started this blog and I would be sitting at home all summer with nothing to do. At least between now and second summer session I'll have something to keep me occupied.

Roommate Woes and Wows

2009-05-22T19:19:00.003-05:00

There's so many topics that I can touch on, just from this past year and about college life in general. But this blog is just getting started, so I'll have plenty of time to talk about it all. So, if you live on campus, or if you're planning to live on campus, you more than likely have a roommate or you're going to have one. Well, let me share with you something that one of my former coworkers told me. She said that my roommate would get on my last nerve before I got on hers. I really didn't think too much of it when she told me that but, boy, were there times after that when I thought about those few words and how true they were. Now, don't get me wrong. I love my roommate and I'm glad to have her in my life, but she is one of those people that you really can't be around for long periods of time. You just can't. You'll be ready to pull your hair out after so long. I love her, though. Whenever I needed somebody to listen to me rant she was always there. I consider her to be one of my best friends now. One of the first things she told me when we moved into the dorms together (you should never forget advice or words of wisdom, it'll come in handy later) was that she had all of the booksense in the world, it was common sense that she didn't have. I laughed at her. It didn't take long for me to realize that she was telling the truth. No lies. No exaggerations. Common sense really is something that she lacks. She's come a long way since the first time I met her, I have to give her that. So, from time to time I'll share with you some of her classic moments...we'll call them The Roommate Anecdotes. Original, huh?

Getting a Scholarship and Keeping It

2009-05-19T18:38:00.003-05:00

It's been established that scholarships and scholarship renewals are a pretty sensitive subject for me...especially since I failed to renew my scholarship for the upcoming semester. However, I'm not too concerned. I won't be able to go to the first summer session since I don't have any money, which means that I won't be able to raise my gpa in time to renew my scholarship for the fall, but I plan to go to the second session since I still need to raise my gpa in order to keep a grant that I received based on my gpa. So, I'll be working and trying to save a little money between now and the end of June. I also plan to search for more scholarship money between now and the end of the summer. I'm a firm believer in the theory that you can't have too much scholarship or grant money. I've gotten an award for an essay and I received both of my scholarships and one of my grants based on academics. I have potential...I just don't always live up to it. Aside from trying to make some money working, I'll also have my hands full with the scholarship search. This is literally one of those "bought lessons". I'll be updating my Fastweb profile pretty soon. That's how I came across my school in the first place. I suggest to other college students, or prospective college students to create a profile here, too, if you haven't already.

Tara's Story

2009-05-16T11:38:00.002-05:00

So, I just completed my freshman year in college and I'm in debt. So are a lot of other students but we all have different reasons for being in debt. You see, I had a scholarship and I'm very close to being put on academic probation. Why? Because during the fall semester I had relatively easy classes, three of them were pretty much guaranteed A's and two of them required a little effort but nothing unreasonable. I didn't put in that much effort. I ended up with a C in those two classes and a D in the more difficult class. So, this spring, I actually worked. I had B's in all of my classes except for one. In one class I had a C. My gpa is a 2.8 and I need a 3.0 to keep my major scholarship. What do I do? I have until the end of the first summer session to raise my gpa but I need money. I have to go to summer school at my own expense. If I had put even a little bit of extra thought into it, I would have filed my FAFSA a month earlier so that I could have gotten a little financial aid this summer. To make a long story short, I screwed myself. I didn't have to but I did. You really can be your own worst enemy. Now, I'll only lose the scholarship for a semester but that's a semester too long. I caught the lazy bug and I'm paying for it now, literally. Don't be like me. In all of my blogs I try to encourage other people to not be like me and make the same mistakes I made. This blog is no different. Put in that effort. Complete all bonus assignments. If you decide to be lazy and not do any work, don't let that laziness last for more than a week. It'll suck later on.

Opening Day

2009-05-13T17:03:00.000-05:00

Need a word of advice? Need to hear some real-life issues concerning college? Well, you've come to the right place. I'm a woman. I'm a college student. I'm broke. Hear me roar. The idea here is to share my experience with college as I press on in my journey towards a Bachelor's degree and to provide you with a little information and a few helpful links. So, stay with me. You're in for a ride.