So here’s the quick and dirty (actually just long and unorganized) rundown on what’s been going on in my life the past month or so.
I dropped out of school. Hopefully not permanently, but it was something I had to do. Basically, an extreme curveball was thrown at my life. I was more or less promised in-state tuition at school this year, which would have been easily covered by federal loans. After I got to school this fall, I enrolled and regularly attended classes. I had my RA job set in place to cover living expenses and then some. I was making friends and working hard all the way up until the day I got my bill for the semester. I was being charged out of state tuition (roughly $11,000 more than in-state). When I went to the office of financial aid and scholarships, I was told that the information I was given regarding receiving in-state tuition was wrong, and that I would have to come up with the money to cover the difference or withdraw from classes for the semester. Withdrawing from classes would cause me to have to leave my job in the dorms, which would render me jobless, homeless, and hopeless.
I’ve since then relocated to Dallas and am staying with friends free-of-charge. Although sleeping in the corner of a living room on an air mattress is a less-than-ideal situation, I’m extremely grateful for the luck that I’ve had. I’ve had a roof over my head and received no pressure to find any other housing arrangements until next semester, when I plan to officially apply for Texas residency and therefore receive in-state tuition.
I found work as soon as I could. In retrospect, it was a terrible experience, but I worked for a rich old man for two weeks filing paperwork for an insurance settlement over a burned down property and doing some light housework. He was demeaning and irritable, and he had bad breath and an anger problem. I made a surprising amount of money during those two weeks though, so I quit and kept looking for a more stable employer.
A few weeks ago, I ate lunch with my roommate and a group of people who go to his church and explained the situation to some of them during the conversation. One woman asked for my resume and told me that she worked for a major corporation, had a high-standing position in her division, and would see if she could find me work. She did. A few days later I received a call that I would be hired as a temporary full-time employee for her company with great pay. I accepted the job and if all goes according to plan, I’ll be working until at least January, if not later.
Despite my life literally falling to pieces in the course of a few days, I’m amazed how things work out in the end. I was downtrodden and defeated this time last month, with a dim outlook ok the future. In that time I’ve managed to find a place to live, a wonderful job, a car, new friends, a bright outlook on what’s to come, and confidence that no matter how bleak things seem, it’s possible to turn your life around with a little bit of hard work and optimism. I now have a pep in my step and I’m ready for whatever crazy events life has to throw at me.
