My New Approach to Life.
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I recently quit my job to return to school full-time. It was a difficult decision that I’d toyed with and prayed about for quite a while — a few years, actually — but I realized it was necessary for me to do and more importantly, it was time.
Right out of high school, I was given the opportunity to work at the corporate headquarters of Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy. As you can imagine, that was HUGE for a 17-year-old. While it was a great chance for me to expand my horizons, I began to water this little workaholic seed in me and I must say that it has blossomed quite well. Too well. In the last eleven years, it has been a struggle for me to keep up with school on top of working full-time since my primary focus always became my work. In fact, I left several jobs for less attractive positions with the intention of pursuing school more seriously. It never worked. One of my best friends (and former manager), Lori, put it best when she said that I could get a job flipping burgers and would end up running the restaurant. It’s just my nature.
So here’s the thing — I have only a year left to finish my degree and I’m switching up my approach to life. I decided that “the workforce” will still be there in a year and that my education is now the most important task at hand. Setting myself up for success requires that I don’t work for a period of one year and, instead, invest my natural instinct to excel in my pursuit to finish school.
The cost of education at SJSU has continued to go up and it will cost me about $35,000 for the Spring, Summer, and Fall 2009 semesters combined with an approximate cost of textbooks — kind of difficult with no job. I am still pending financial aid and student loan approvals and am opening my request up to family and friends via Green Note. Suggested to me by a good friend, Jarred, Green Note is a peer-to-peer lending site that allows me to borrow money directly through personal loans with a contract for me to pay back with interest. Please note that repayment is required, not optional.
For students out there who are interested in more information about Green Note, please read here for general FAQs.
For lenders who would like more information on the Green Note service, please click here.
If you are interested in becoming a lender, please let me know. As always, any help is much appreciated. Thanks all!
Related posts:
- Most Goodbyes Suck.
- A Job Well Done.
- Can’t Seem to Catch a Red Light.
- It’s Been TEN Years!!
- Something’s Different!
Hopefully you didn’t make too much for financial aid … I haven’t had to pay anything other than gas for school … with grants and all. There’s always a loophole … perhaps scholarships?
@eric. yeah, i had to re-apply after i officially stopped working in order to better my chances. i was declined the first time around… things are still pending right now. hopefully something comes through before the spring semester starts!