icarus | (no subject)

Current Mood: pensive

(no subject)

So. *sighs* Good news.

I did get financial aid.

There's bad news though.

It doesn't cover as much as it did last year. It falls short of covering my basic living expenses, doesn't completely cover rent, covers none of my utilities. (I didn't expect it to cover food or books.)

So... hm.

How much can one work while taking a full class-load? I know I can't do executive secretary work -- too demanding. Tutoring? Does the school pay it's English tutors? I love to teach.

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I worked as a TA and at the Writing Center while at school to try and cover expenses. (You could also try the library.) The nice thing about working on campus is that they understand your schedule is fucked a lot of the time and will work with you. The bad thing is that it usually pays crap wages.

Worth looking into though!

can you type really fast? you might be able to find a typing job

im in the gainesville community on lj... for my college :P and someone recently asked about typing jobs. the people that responded said they can be good money, and are often needed by grad students and whatnot. im not sure how you find out about getting that kind of job though

Do you get work-study? And have you looked at the coop program? I've no idea if coop credits transfer, but if so it wouldn't hurt to get credit for the work you do, as well as money :)

Major sympathy on the financial aid. As if you needed any more stress right now! *hugs*

Regarding work, I worked 32 hours a week and took a full class load as an undergrad (four 8-hour days of work and two 8-hour days of school, with Sundays off). It wasn't unbearable, but I wouldn't recommend it -- especially not if you're in grad school, which seems to require a lot more time.

In my last two quarters, I cut back to 24 hours of work so I could take extra classes, and that was much better. I think you sort of have to mess around with your schedule and see what sort of balance works for you -- I knew people who worked 12 hours a week while going to school and thought it was too much, and others who worked 40 and seemed to handle it all right.

I usually worked over 20 and took 15-18 credits. I also was a crappy student, though that had nothing to do with my working, and everything to do with my attitude (short version: who wants to study?) 15-18 credits then was 5-6 3-credit classes; typically classes don't work that way any more.

I had one motivated student who, her senior year, worked for *me* who worked 20 for me at work, babysat my kid 12, worked another 25 for a local restaurant, took 18 credits a term in the demanding J-school which doesn't tolerate crap work in those 400-level classes, and planned her wedding, but I wouldn't recommend it as I think she was pretty well exhausted beyond words by the end of the year. But I mean, it *can* be done for a year, that kind of schedule.

I'd like to keep my grades up, and I've found (now that i actually study and put time into my homework instead of relying on a good memory and a talent at tests) I can't do more than 15 credits of demanding classes and still do a good job. And quite frankly, I'm almost 40. I don't have that kind of energy anymore. *leans on cane*

Icarus

Dude. I am not almost 40, and I know you are not so much older than me. :D

No, my original comment was on what I did when I was 18, with the notation that my sucky grades had nothing to do with working. I mean, you can probably work half time and take 15 credits and do well, because you are a motivated student as I was not.

I don't think I'll have to work that many hours, so it should be fine, though a drag.

I'm 37 in a couple months, actually. But I thought I was 37 last year, so it was nice to get an extra year. ;)

Icarus

I worked full time while doing full time university, it's hard, but possible if you give up every moment of your private life (now that Live Journal is around, I wouldn't be able to manage the time anymore). I did 'help desk' most of the time, which is a job which gives you a lot of quiet time to study in between phone calls from FUCKING RETARDS WHO CAN'T EVEN WORK OUT HOW TO REBOOT BY THEMSELVES! Ahem. Anyway.

Prostitution is quite a good money maker depending on where you live and how legal it is. My friend Kim put herself through university with stripping/prostitution, did quite well out of it. Dope dealing is also good - a few people I know and some people on my friends list got through school via dope dealing. Just pot, though, nothing really hard that'll get you into trouble.

All I'm going to say is that I'm really glad you got some of the financial aid my darling. I was worried and feeling helpless there for a bit. At least like this, even if hard work, it is possible for you to continue and the things that that shrub wants to implement will not affect you.

*hugs*

That's not cool :(
I've heard data entry is a good idea...? I'm not sure how fast you can type, but it may be an option. You can also get to do it at your own home, if you're good enough/find a good place.

Good luck.

Is it possible to just rent a room (not sure what your living situation is)?

How about work-study through your school?

Good luck.

:(
Weenies.
I wish I could help, but I am utterly lacking in any sort of knowledge that is actually helpful in the real world.

Tutoring? Does the school pay it's English tutors? I love to teach.

My university, at least, pays its tutors. Do you have a place called Academic Services, or something like that? That's *probably* where you would want to go to see about any position. I know my university has tutors for just about every subject. Your college might also have a Writing Center, which also should pay.

I'm afraid I'm too short for that "stripper" thing, and as far as prostitution goes, well, I already work as a secretary, that's pretty close. But I'd prefer to pimp actually.

I suppose I could rent WG out to the local gay men....

The dope dealing is an appealing option, and I do live in excellent growing conditions for the famous B.C. bud. Since the cops are trying to crack down on imports, I could probably cash in. Do you know anyone in the B.C. Hell's Angels that could get me started? :D

Icarus

I think I'll start there. I'd like to do something that keeps headed in the right direction of moving out of secretarial work, not taking something that's entry-level secretarial when I've 15 years experience. Because I know what will happen. I'll start looking around, see something that's not running well and take on that responsibility and then seem something else... then suggest something and end up with that responsibility... and pretty soon I'll be a part-time employee, with part-time pay and full-time responsibility. That's just what happens when you're overqualified.

Icarus

Oh. I've been living with my boyfriend for eight years. Between the two of us, the rent is lower than I could ever do on my own. There are no expenses we could reduce without moving, and without my full-time income, we can't move.

Icarus

Crap wages is okay. I can deal with that. :)

Icarus

I've good typing speed, but I'm at a community college still (older student going back after 15 years in one career). So I'm sure there'll be a demand, but it's worth looking into, yeah.

Icarus

True, I can do work-study. *nods*

Icarus

I admit, I feel distressed at the idea of scrambling like this. God, I hope I don't have to do that. I like my grade-point average.

Icarus

I'm hoping for teaching. *crosses fingers* It would be relevant to what I want to do.

Icarus

It's so much better now than it was a week ago. *whew* Of course, now the job's turning shitty. *rolls eyes*

Icarus

Well, cool. :) Good luck with it. I'm hoping to teach eventually, but I couldn't do it just yet.

The word "weenies" alone helps. :)

Icarus

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