I have finally concluded summer term, and I'm happy to report that I have received a 4.0 GPA! I took the past week off to rest and catch up on some TV shows as my 7 day a week schedule for the past 12 weeks was finally starting to wear me down. Now that I'm rested and rejuvenated, my search for scholarship money continues. There is still a lot of planning, budgeting, scheming, writing and drawing ahead of me, and I'm excited to continue on!
Now that I am within a year of my travels, it feels more serious and imminent. I am actually starting to feel nervous, anxious and a little voice is creeping into my head exacerbating my hesitations. What if I can't come up with the money? What if my visa is denied? What if I get there and I hate my flatmates? What if I can't find a job? What if I don't want to come back to the states?
They are practical concerns, but teetering a little too much on the negative side for me to give them attention. If I remain positive, keep focusing on my work, applying for scholarships and working as much as possible, I know I can do this.
Some updates:
-I will be participating in Last Thursday, the street fair held monthly throughout the summer on NE Alberta Street here in Portland. At this event I will lug out all of my drawings, paintings, comics and prints to sell. It's free to set up, so it doesn't hurt trying to make a little extra money. For myself, this is a win-win event as I get to socialize, make some money and simultaneously downsize my belongings.
-Budgeting has been made easier now that I can eliminate my monthly grocery bill with the newfound discovery of the PSU Student Food Pantry. This campus gem allots students 5 items per visit along with unlimited 'freebie' items such as produce and bread. With proper meal planning, I should be able to completely eliminate food costs and bolster my savings!
-Monday the 31st I have an interview with a coffee shop for part-time work. With any luck, I'll land the job and be able to resign from my volunteer activities. As much as I do love being an intern and volunteer, it is time for me to really focus on completing my coursework and saving as much $$ as possible. But, that is dependent on the interview, so fingers crossed I'll get some extra work!
Ideal plan for Phase 1 & 2 (now until December):
-Turn in Fulbright
-Kickstart savings via Last Thursday
-Finalize "support" comic
-Get second job
-Re-Open Etsy or the like to sell the rest of paintings
-Craigslist Printer, scanner, computer, etc...
No comments:
Post a Comment