Friday, June 16, 2006

On college tuition and freedom

Paying for college tuition blows. I hate the whole deal. Alright, sure, college isn't free, I know that, and you know that. That's okay, I can deal. There are a few things about that with which I can't deal with though.

First, I hate how you're charged up the ass in credits, and then, try as you might to pay your whole balance (tuition plus dorms plus whatever the hell they fell like charging you for), if you don't have it paid off by [insert date], then you're screwed. "Oh yes, we offer a wide variety of financial aid y estamos comprometidos en ayudar a usted a pagar sus estudios...oh wait, you didn't pay off the remaining balanced? Sorry, we're gonna have to cancel your enrollment for this semester." Yeah, you guys care SO much, don't you?

And see, another funny thing here is that about 90% of most financial aid available is only available to those with economic need. Economic need my fucking ass. Those who supposedly need the money don't even use most on college. They pay what they need to, and they use the rest to buy themselves fancy cars, rent out swanky apartment and to buy their fucking weed. While those, like myself, who barely qualify for financial aid, have to sit by, bust our ass to pay our way, and get not a dime from either the college or from the federal government. If you ask me, instead of basing each and every stupid scholarship, federal or otherwise, on economic need, how 'bout taking a look at the fucker's grades? 'Cause, I dunno, I don't think it's fair to deny more federal aid to the person who got good grades in high school, but approve it to the schmuck who barely scraped by in high school but is supposedly poor.

Finally, when all hope is lost, when work study, part-times and any other cash you can scrape from corners just isn't enough, what do they do? They tell you to get a goddamned loan. On top of any other loans you already got from the federal government. Oh, awesome, just what I need, a loan or five to pay off college, only to be in miserable debt when I graduate. See, if you ask me, it's a fucking conspiracy. You take loans to pay through college, you get your degree in God knows what, business or philosophy or whatever, and then, soon as you get a job, your paychecks are not only devoted to general living expenses, but also to pay off those fucking loans, which is also money you could be using on other loans to buy a car. Car > college loan. Thank you, capitalist pigs.

Well, in other news, I'm nearly finishing up my novel. I've finally got inspiration on how to write the ending, so I should be wrapping that up as soon as I'm done typing this entry. I also got inspiration for a new novel. I'm basing it around the concept of freedom and around 1984. The main character's male, but I'm modeling his inner thoughts around my own. His personality's way more twisted than mine though. The main character for my first novel is a lot more like me in general. Anyhow, yeah, I'm gonna just be playing with that concept and see how it goes. This second novel won't be long. In fact, it'll probably be just a tad longer than Aura by Carlos Fuentes. My point isn't to make it long, I just want to get a point across.



Old comics are the best, if only because half the time they have hilarious innuendos or they just don't make sense.

8 comments:

justmeguy said...

would love to read it one day!!!!

carol said...

yo tambien quiero leerla!

En mi opinion Sagrado es horrible, I spent like two years alli colgandome y dandome de baja, to this day I can't stand the place. Aunque claro no es culpa de Sagrado, era mas chamaca y que se yo, pero still no me gusta el lugar.

Di said...

justmeguy and monon: Hmm, maybe I'll post a link to where I have it uploaded in my next entry.

carol: fijate, me cayo bien Sagrado, but then again, maybe it was because I took it in stride. I just hate how expensive it is. =/

Mr Angry said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Mr Angry said...

Excellent to hear of your progress with novel writing! Sucks with the college tuition -same everywhere. WHy do they thinks it's a good idea for students to start life with a massive debt? How does that help the country?

For a good superhero laugh, try putting "superman is a dick" into a search engine.

Also, if you could do me a favour; you were kind enough to add me to your blogroll, would you mind changing the url to http://angryaussie.wordpress.com

This is the one I am trying to promote :)

Di said...

mr angry: No problemo. =)

Sergio Gutiérrez Negrón said...

Ahh, yo iba a estudiar en Sagrado, no cogía beca por los ingresos de mi padre, y como quiera me tenía que endeudar en prestamos...así que entré en la UPR, mi padre se quedó desempleado, y tuve que matarme en un full-time para poder pagar el primer año y medio, hasta que por fin cualifiqué pa' la beca. Y entiendo tu preocupación cuando ves gente utilizandola para comprar basura, me quejaba, y me quejo de lo mismo. El semestre pasado pude darme el lujo de dejar de trabajar, pues llevaba haciendolo desde antes de salir de la high, y sobreviví buscando especiales con la beca. Pero nah, hice un prestamo estudiantil, y me volé para Argentina. Esa deuda con gusto la pagaré, por que fue para mi. Ahora en verano vuelvo a matarme, para acumular dinero, y elevar mi nivel de vida pauperrimo-estudiantil en los ghettos de Santa Rita. ^_^

Di said...

Sergio: En verdad queria ir pa la UPR, porque el departamento de Drama is a lot better. My mom totally wouldn't let me though. I guess she preferred to be in debt. O_o