Since graduating from high school, I have been a self-supporting student with a purpose.
My plan: graduate without accumulating a mountain of debt. Almost nine years later I find myself finally embarking on what is, hopefully, my last year of a long college career.
Money is the sole reason I am 26 and still here. My college days began at a community college where I learned quickly that I’m not a superwoman. Let’s just say being a full-time student and serving 45-50 hours per week at a restaurant not only sucks, but also makes passing classes nearly impossible.
Instead of enrolling in a few units per semester, I moved onto a friend’s couch for a little over a year, enabling me to save money, work less and study more.
I still needed to take out a $3,000 student loan and put a couple of thousand dollars on a credit card, but I promised myself that was all the debt I would amass. Enrolled in just two classes the semester before transferring, I was offered a managing position at the restaurant where I served.
I took the promotion with the contingency that my hours and responsibilities would drastically decrease when I started at Cal State Long Beach. My new plan: work my ass off for 10 months and when the semester started I would work whenever I wanted and collect financial aid.
This plan turned out to work great. Not only did I pass my classes, I worked more than planned and still made the dean’s honor list my second semester.
During this time I also was able to cut my credit card debt by half! Finally, Lady Luck is smiling at me and after struggling for years, I’m beginning to feel the hard work pay off. I accomplished more in the last two years than the six before and my time sitting in lectures, writing papers and stressful finals is almost over.
So, here I am embarking on my last year of college and I once again find myself working long hours, saving pennies and worrying about how I am going to afford the next semester. I had made too much money when I was working and saving for college to qualify for financial aid.
Please, someone help me breathe again. Why is it so hard for someone to get an education in this country? I have struggled for the better part of a decade, taking baby steps toward the graduation finish line and when I start to sprint I break a toe.
My situation is not unique. Thousands of devoted students face setbacks and large loan payments but we shouldn’t have to struggle and fight for our right to a higher education. It doesn’t make sense when a government bails out banks and not hard working long-time students.
I understand that I made too much for financial aid and limits must be set. But if an education didn’t require a large amount of money then I would most likely not be in this situation, especially at 26.
Education is important and it’s well worth the struggle. Victory comes with graduation and, although tuition, parking, gas and book prices are up, we will succeed. Hopefully, after we do, we can succeed in changing the future from becoming our past.
