January 28, 2022 marked my one year anniversary of paying off my student loans . Reflecting back on choosing to pay off my student loans leaves me with several take a ways that I want to share with you! In September 2020 I decided to become debt free by utilizing the debt snowball method to pay off all my debt. Before this I had struggled to save and really understand basic financial principles. As a first-generation college student, I received a scholarship to attend undergrad for free, but the scholarship did not cover summers. During the summers I took out student loans to cover costs without paying interest rates or how much I was taking out. By the end of undergrad I had amassed a little under $17K. Fast forward to graduate school I received another scholarship that covered my education. At the time I was a teacher in a new very expensive city and I had missed the cutoff to have my paycheck last me throughout the summer. So, I decided to take out a loan for two summers to keep
Well this is my last week of freedom as my summer
courses start on Monday. I am taking two classes that will last until early
August yayy me (NOT!). With classes
being right around the corner I plan to enjoy this week to the fullest while
making sure that I am prepared for a successful summer semester. The summer can
make or break you and I plan to succeed so here is what I am doing to make sure
things go as planned!
Figure
1: This is a thumbnail of my latest YouTube video “Summer Courses are Here Are You
Ready?!
As a graduate student, you have to buy your books BEFORE
the semester begins as you can expect assignments on the first day. This is
also true for the summer as well since most classes will be cut in half. For
example, your typical 12 week class will be jammed packed into 6 weeks for most
undergraduate courses. So get your books early!
Figure 2: This is a photo of a stack books
Figure
3: This is a photo of the word syllabus on top of two books
Since I work in Disability Services, I always have to
remind students to please register for accommodations if this applies to you.
Often times students wait until it’s too late and nothing can be done to best
assist them. So get this done early! Another important step is to complete all
of your summer financial aid requirements early. Finances are limited during
the summer and the early bird always gets the worm in this case. I have
actually received $1K in summer funding in addition to my employee scholarship,
which is more than I got during the fall and spring semester. I know money is limited
so do not give up hope. I would encourage you to schedule a meeting with a financial
aid advisor to see what FREE money is available to you. This has always helped
me.
Figure 4: This is a photo of a stack of $100 dollar bills with a card on top that reads “Financial Aid and Scholarships”.
Lastly, RELAX! Be sure to prioritize your self-care
throughout the semester so that you can stay on track. The summer goes by quick
and you want to make it count so be sure to take care of yourself. How do you
prepare for summer courses? Drop down in the comments and let me know! Be sure
to check out my video below for more information.
SUBSCRIBE: Summer
Courses Are Here Are You Ready?1
Coupon Code: Ms. Duggan
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