Story of a Student

I really debated long and hard on how I should write up my first blog post. I really wanted to make sure I could write a post that all of you could relate to. So here’s the first story that I want to share with you, and this is a story of ‘a student’. 

I’m sure a lot of you can agree with me, that the fourth year of high school is really a stressful and weary time. Depending on your decisions and actions, your life can be shaped in a certain way, and it definitely is pressuring for teenagers. 

Personally, I was lucky and fortunate enough to hear back from one of my dream schools: New York University. When I first read the acceptance letter, I was relieved to know that I belonged somewhere, and that I was going to be able to live my dreams! 

But see, life is kind of a bit of a jerk, and it really doesn’t let you off the hook that easily. After a short period of what I believed was ‘happiness’, life brought in its best friend named reality to only slap me across the face. I’m really not a rich kid. Actually, I’m more of a kid with a brother living with a single mom in a rented two bedroom apartment. For god’s sake, just the yearly tuition was an overwhelming amount to cover even after the scholarship. ($35,000 a year is kind of a lot of money…)

With only few days left for me to give NYU a decision, and not knowing what I could do to cover the rest of the amount, I panicked. So on the decision day, I did what every other kid in this situation would do! For six hours, I stalked down the phone number of head of admissions for NYU and begged him for some more time to figure everything out. I guess I was lucky enough to talk to a guy who understood my situation, and he gave me an extension on the reply date for me to figure out my student loan application.

After the phone call. I was still devastated and conflicted. How in the world was I going to pay for this? How am i going to get a loan without affecting my family? How can I get through this? I decided that maybe, just maybe that I was being selfish, and that it would be the right thing to decline NYU’s offer.

Then, that night, I received a message from a girl named Claudia from Australia. She was in the exact same situation as I was. She was just as scared as I was, and was just as confused. When we chatted, I didn’t feel so alone, and realized that this wasn’t just my problem. Probably, thousands of other students like me around the world are in a dilemma about having to give up their dreams due to circumstances like money, family, and etc. If I really wanted to become a successful person, I should do whatever it takes to stay firm to my vision and dreams, even if it means sacrificing my comfort zone. 

So to all of you who are confused and scared, please know that you’re not alone, and that this really isn’t the end of the world. It really is frightening, but there always is a way out. If you are really passionate to your dreams as you say you are, you will be able to slap back reality and give it a taste of its own medicine. 

Because if I had given up on my dreams for even a day, I would have given up an opportunity of a lifetime to learn that I have been approved for a student loan just a day later. Life really is all about your decisions, and even if it seems irrational and stupid, I would say to go for your gut instincts. It is much better to make the mistake than to regret anything for the rest of your life :)

5 mindblowing facts about student debt. | From today’s New York Times:

1. The number of students who have to go into debt to get a bachelor’s degree has risen from 45% in 1993 to 94% today.

2. There is now more than $1 trillion in outstanding student loan debt in the United States.

3. Over the last 10 years, tuition and fees at state schools have increased 72%.

4. During the late 1970s, Ohio spent 17% of their budget on higher education and 4% of prisions. Today, Ohio spends 11% on higher ed and 8% of prisons.

5. This year, national, state and local spending on higher education reached a 25-year low.