My Life Right Now

Ugh. Ok, so I got an email back from the financial aid office, and basically it said that I should have read my award letter in the first place because it SAYS that financial aid amounts (for pell grants) are based on whether you're full-time or part-time. Which, fine, that makes sense, and I've been a student almost a decade, and I KNEW this. But apparently their letter is worded differently than Faulkner's was. Because instead of saying something like "potential award amount, based on number of hours" or however I'm used to seeing it, it listed it as "total award." That's it. No extra qualifiers, so I assumed that that was my total award, based on how many hours I was taking. And I thought, wow, that's AWESOME, I never got that much when I was at Faulkner, this is wonderful! My life is happy and beautiful and stress free, and was that a prancing unicorn I just saw? So when it showed loan amounts I was eligible for I said "Oh no, I don't need those, I actually have enough for not only tuition and books, but even a new laptop, and thank goodness for that because THIS ONE is knocking on death's door and I'll be lucky to squeeze a full semester out of it!" So I merrily clicked "decline." And went on my happy way. :-/ .... I'd forgotten how much it sucks to start at a new school and get everything together. :-/


(The above will look very familiar to any facebook friends who have moseyed on over this way. That was a comment I left, offering further explanation of a status update.)


This is my life right now. After coasting along for nearly four years in a community college, I have finally done all I can there toward a degree (without taking a bunch of PE classes and such. Because really, at what place in my resume will it be a plus to say I aced a PE class? Who cares? I was an English Major!).  After deciding I wanted to get a degree in foreign language (I will be focusing on Spanish), I chose the University of South Alabama.  Well, "chose" may not be the right word.  It was more like, they were the closest college offering that major.  If it was up to me, I would have chosen someplace in Pensacola.  Because I just have serious issues with Mobile.  I avoid the city at all costs. Because there's nothing there that isn't also in Pensacola.  And for that matter, better in Pensacola.  I just don't like Mobile.  No offense to any Mobilians.  But the city just isn't navigator-friendly.  I rarely make it in and out of Mobile without getting lost at least once.  But I digress.  I was talking about transferring to another school.  USA has the program I needed, so that's where I'm going.


I had forgotten how much is entailed in starting college anew!!  Like I said, I had been at the same community college for nearly four years.  All of the processes for financial aid, registration, etc were a habit after the first two semesters.  I could handle all that stuff blindfolded in my sleep!  So now I have to get used to an all new system and good grief, it's taking a toll on me!!!!  Combined with the fact that I've discovered that a whole new higher level of organization is required for getting my son through 2nd grade in one ready-for-3rd-grade piece (more on my lackadaisical organizational skills in a later post, I'm sure!), and I am just one big ball of could-explode-at-any-moment!


I'm going to be taking LOTS of deep breaths in the days to come.....