LIVE and LEARN

Luis Bahena
City Times

I always look forward to going back to school; it gives me a reason to get up in the morning instead of sleeping in, not to mention the act of working on my future.

At the same time, there’s a certain frustration that comes with going back. Like many students, I’m not eligible for financial aid, which can make going back somewhat of a struggle.

This can be an issue when it comes to getting through school. My slight paranoia about my future doesn’t help either.

Every so often I have the tendency to question where I am with school and where my future is going. In most instances, it results in me freaking out and making myself some sort of academic plan.

I had planned to take three classes this semester. However, due to insufficient funds on my part, I was only able to afford one class.

Not only was my whole academic plan ruined, but I had jeopardized my future as well.

So, I decided to try and calm myself down by looking into other options for schooling. Dropping out of school to work full-time was never an option.

On a slow and tedious day at work I received an e-mail from The Art Institute. They were announcing that they were going to have an open house in the beginning of August.

I marked my calendar and anxiously waited for the day to come where I would find other opportunities in the ever growing world of arts and entertainment.

The day came and went, leaving me feeling melancholy and longing for something I will never have.

I had discovered, after seating through inspiring and alluring presentations, that a single credit for the school was $464. My dreams were crushed.

When it came time to pay for classes here at City College, I realized that it’s better to be working on something as opposed to nothing. I still freaked out, but at least I was slowly working on my future instead of sleeping in and waking up 8 years later in the same predicament

In retrospect, I’m glad that I only took one class this semester. Sure, it may not be what I had originally planned out, but when life gets in the way, you have to learn how to deal.

At least I’m learning life experiences in the process. Until I have more money, I think I’ll decide to take things one day at a time.

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Luis Bahena is City Times’ editor-in-chief