Welcome to Gaia! ::

I started thinking about this when I saw that Nymphie was going back to school. I'm happy for her. But then I thought about my own experience thus far.

I love how I just haaaaaaaaaad to go to a hard university and work my a** off from day one, just because easier colleges don't have good programs in Poli Sci. It's really awful that my excellent writing skills actually hold me back a lot of the time in college. When I was in high school, my teachers made exceptions for my papers. If it was a six page paper, I'd often write it in five and have it be better than anyone else's. I'd get all the points covered and have it done in a precise and intelligent way, never rambling or stretching the length on purpose. It's just my style of scholarly writing, and my teachers understood and even appreciated it.

In college, I have to write papers that are way too long for the topic it covers. I'm lucky if my professors know my first name when they see me. So they're not going to make exceptions. So I struggle very hard, every time, to make my papers long enough. 10 pages for something I can cover very well in 8. It makes me very upset.

And having to work so much just so I can eat, and having no time for schoolwork as a result, is not fun. I always have to cram, because I work long hours and am often so exhausted when I get home that I just pass out and sleep. Last semester, this is what I did: I worked wednesday, friday saturday sunday all day. I worked monday half a day and went to class at night. I had class all day tuesday and thursday, from 9 am to 9pm. I had a couple of hours between classes those days. Those were the only times I ever got to study.

I can't work less because my parents didn't want me to go to college and thus aren't supporting me one iota. If I want a roof over my head, I have to work. I can't rely on my boyfriend to support me because he has to pay off his school loans. He's miserable because he knows he should have never gone to college. His mom promised to help pay for his loans, begged him to go because she never went. And he was miserable, struggled very very much, and had to drop out. And now she's not helping at all, isn't even sorry.

I just wish I had parents who actually wanted to help me. I can't get any help from the government till I'm 25 because according to them, my parents can support me just fine. And their huge new house and lakeside cabin and shiny new truck says they can. They just DON'T.

Every time I see various girls in this guild talk about their wonderful moms, every time my coworkers get visited by their family every day, I feel a pang of sadness and envy.

So anyone who isn't struggling to get by, who has parents who support and care about them, who doesn't have to work at Mc Donald's just because it's close by and gas prices are really high...please just know how lucky you are.

And also, gah, I hope I'm not sounding too emo or something. It's just rambling. sweatdrop

Be my guest. heart

Q's got a point... you're going though hell, and you're still making it work. That speaks a lot for you.

As for your schoolwork, it just sucks. Essays are supposed to suck. All I can do is wish you well... but you're definitely capable of doing them well... just... "elaborate", in the terms of half my english teachers (the other half wanted shorter papers... @_@)

And not having your parents help, and the gov't saying they're supposed to... ******** sucks. Having to work long hours just to sleep and eat... it's not fun, to say the least... Then again, remember, when they get old, you get to pick their nursing home! ^___^

Then again, even with help from your parents, you still might have to work...

But just think, when you're done with your schooling, got your degree... you can say that you put yourself though school, no help from your parents, the gov't... you worked it, and made it work. That'll help in getting your better job, over the people that had their way paid. That plus the fact that you went to a hard college... it'll speak VERY well for you. ^__^

And I know how lucky I am! (not enough money in my family, so the gov't thinks my mom isn't expected to contribute anything...)

And you dun sound emo! Just had to get some things offa your chest, that's all... we're here to lend an ear if you need one! ^_^

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Thanks luffie. heart And gah on the essays. I hate it when scholarly papers repeat themselves way to freaking much. It's awful and not at all fun to read. I much prefer my style when I only repeat myself, BRIEFLY, if it helps emphasize a later point, as well as the usual summaries at the conclusion of a paper.

I read the first half of your post and then I was all "so what is the title about?"

But then I finished reading today.

I don't like it when people tell me how much worse their life is. I don't live your life, I live mine, and when something I consider bad happens, I will complain about it if I want.

But then again, I don't usually complain, because I feel the exact same way you feel about it.

I do complain sometimes though, but only because I need a little ego boost. And how bad is a little ego boost???

Saying I'm making it work is kind of a stretch, guys. xd I'm BARELY making it work every single month. But I appreciate your support, nonetheless. heart heart