A humbled request.

Yikes, LF - you're throwing your tuition on Credit Cards?

Holy interest rates, batman!

Have you checked out Sallie Mae? They're evil, but the loan payoff is usually a 10 year term, and payments are completely deferred as long as you're a full-time student.

That's the route I took when I was in school.

Maybe you should work past the pain?

That guy gave you the best advice here (aside from katykiwi who suggested finding a better rl job). As long as I've known you LF, and yes, I do know you, but you know me by a diffrent name, you've always had this really high opinion of your ouwn architectural work. Yet you always seem to find ways not to exploit it.

There seem to be a number of people who make a decent living from selling prefab housing and furniture, yet you always act like that's somehow beneath you.

Now personally, I've never appreciated your style .... (except for that sort of roman palace type place you made for Briana that one time on what used to be SL's east coast, that was awesome!) but I knwo others do. Get off that high horse and and start designing houses and maybe furniture, using that architectural skill you boast about, that is catered to the people spending money on such things. Regardless of your artistic temperment. In fact, if you need money that bad, to hell with your artistic temperment.

Now aside from all that, if I wern't broke myself, I'd send you some L$ when I get home, but I can't, I'm behind a few payments on a couple things myself.

Dear Lordlfy:

I will be wiring you a sum shortly. You can consider it a loan or as a retainer on a future building project at a rate to be agreed on by us both. I have know you to be an honest and straight forward chap. My own experience asking for help was met with great support from the folks here in this world and I am happy to be in a position to give something back.

You have been an acquaintance of mine since I first came to this world two years ago. My parents have lived across the street from you in Grignano for almost the same amount of time. The first contest I participated in was one of your building contests. I have told you this before -- you have been a big inspiration to me here in this world and your building style has been a major influence on the work that I do, both in the Phyneas Jack Memorial Trusts' Cowell village and the new Nova Albion Infohub that we both worked on.

I support your efforts to further your education. I decided to forego college, for the time being, and dove straight into something over twenty years ago that I was passionate about. Haven't felt the need to do the college thing yet, but that may change.

Make the most of it!

Salazar

This is a case of the hypothetical proven true.

And generally speaking, I've not had to go with student loans and the such because I've been able to pay it off quite easily within the semester's terms; it's been one of my personal prides that I wasn't mired in thousands of dollars of debt like my friends were (one of my friends is working 3 jobs 80+ hours a week, goes to school full time, and yet is still quagmired in debt). Being able to say "I'm paying my way through college" and not have a smidge of debt is a pretty big deal to me.

Last semester and this semester, however, coupled with some other financial obligations, made such a goal harder. And harder. Until I've gotten to this point.

So, there you have it.

Thing two: College loans are not "debt" in terms of self-worth, or in terms of future employers. They are part of what is considered "paying your way through college."

coco

I would be interested in buying rights to some furniture or builds. What can I get for a couple hundred bucks?

Edit: IM me in world, and leave a msg. if you are interested.

I agree with that. I have no shame in my college debt (though I refuse to find out how much it is - here we don't start paying it back until we're earning a certain amount, and I'm still studying). My friend tried to go through uni and then her masters without a loan (her parents didn't want her to have the debt) but in the end it was too much and she took it. It's a help, not something to be ashamed of. Wallowing in debt is a pain in the ass, and it would be ideal to skip that, but if you can't it doesn't mean you're any less of a man

Also I feel the people who make real incomes through SL do so because they treat it as a job - to make *real* money you have to consider it a *real* job and commit the appropriate hours.I don't know Lordfly's situation specifically, but I'd guess that while an evening after work can be spent earning enough to pay your subscriptions, a student is not in a position to be using SL as a real and stable income. These things take time as any job does, and students don't generally have a lot o' that.

Well, I don't I cram all my SLing into the few hours before I go to bed and for a few minutes after my typing goes like thiids

My first question is how much college do you have left to complete?

If you can pay off things "quite easily within the semester's terms", then why not simply get a mastercard and pay it off that semester? Sure you'll pay a little bit of interest during those couple months but who cares? Is some how owing people in SL money different than owing a credit card company? (well besides the interest) Bottom line is that they are both debt.

Take your personal pride in lack of debt and bury it. Your education is MORE IMPORTANT than your bragging rights years from now in being able to say you graduated debt free. Would you rather not graduate and be debt free or graduate and owe a few thousand dollars? I received about $800 in student loans per semester and paid the rest myself. I graduated and paid them off in a few short years and I was damn proud of myself. I'd MUCH rather do it my way then to come on some website asking for money.

Government regulations introduced by the Reagan Administration made it much more difficult for students to access aid. I remember because I was in undergrad, then, living on a bit more than 3000 USD per year. I had to live so cheaply because I was studying theatre (acting scholarships paid for my books) and had to be available evenings for rehearsal and mornings for classes. This left afternoons for work (I worked for the university in a student job). I remember being denied my financial assistance because the Reagan-introduced bureaucracy of student discouragement for the working class actually instituted a bottom end for poverty measures. In other words, I was too poor to be considered for financial aid. I had to make at least 3500. I was denied a grant on that basis which put a HUGE roadblock in my path and meant that I had to become a part time rather than full-time student. It took me 7 years to get my undergraduate degree and, even though I was certainly poor (little income, no phone, no vehicle, shared bathroom, no entertainment budget) I was put in the position of choosing between honesty and racking up a huge student loan debt. The only honest way I could access the grant would be to give up my scholarships (which I had to when I became part time) and work JUST ENOUGH to keep me still poor, but rich enough for Reagan to believe I needed help. That is, if I wasn't willing to do what others were doing (which was to lie about the amount they made, exaggerating their income so they wouldn't be too poor to get financial assistance).

So, the idea that one will be able to receive financial assistance just because one is poor, or scholarships just because one is smart is not absolutely true, even though it should be. As for the issue of scholarships, (because I was in the drama program) my college typically gave them to good looking students they thought might stand a chance in Hades of becoming working actors. Smart had very little to do with it.

Good Luck, Lordfly. I've been there. katykiwi is on to something, though, when she says you may want to look at trimming expenses or perhaps another day job. Often when we experience difficulty, it is the universe telling us to try something differently. Almost always, roadblocks lead us to new routes, often better than the original path.

Having a student loan to pay off is far more honorable than begging for spare change from passersby IMHO. And, yes, having loans is part of "paying your own way through college".

Put me down as interested as well.

At least a year and a half.



That's been my plan, mate. But, due to suddent recent financial problems, the Mastercard is no longer an option, and is the debt I'm trying to pay off. hence the problem.

You live at home? With your parents I take it?

Can't or won't they help?

Sorry LF, the situation sucks. I was in the same one during college. Years later, I'm still paying off my CC's for that shit.

These questions are diving ever further into my personal history and situation, and it's making me a mite bit uncomfortable, to be honest.

But suffice to say, if they were able to help, I wouldn't be, as some users see it, mass-panhandling on a web forum, would I?

Well, with respect, Lordfly, you can hardly blame them for asking. You want cash and it's only fair that people would want to know the specifics of the situation before extending their coin.

I feel for ya, man, I do. I hope it works out for you. Taking out student loans isn't the end of the world, though. I wouldn't have chosen this means of fund-raising, but good luck with your efforts.

I know, I know. I just ... don't like talking about certain things, is all.

Lordfly, have you thought about ideas like a raffle or event to help raise money? I'm am serious here, and not intending trying to mock. Remembering the Katrina raffle and how well it did, buying a established members as your self may actually work. Anyway, knowing the type of debts that college can generate, I'm willing to help in the little ways that I can. Im me inworld and I'll see what I can do to help.

Good luck,
- Sam

This guy had a pretty darn good idea too - maybe you can do something like this? In any event, good luck to you LF

http://www.milliondollarhomepage.com/

Nothing Reagan ever did prohibits WORKING for money!! eeeek did I say that word!?

Here is a novel idea! Why not use the money spent on broadband internet, online games etc to pay off credit card debt and use the time spent posting on forums and in online games WORKING!! Yikes! There is that word again.

When did you become so evil? I like it. I am just curious.

LF, please. You are talking to quite a few college graduates here. Many had to do it on their own, paying rent, paying for groceries, some with families, some being emancipated individuals. You owe only $4000? Count your blessings and take on another job.

Sorry, LF.

It wasn't that I thought, "Gee, why hasn't he just asked his folks for help. Did he overlook that?!?"... It was more a statement of surprise that they're either unwilling or unable to help you out. Rhetorical, really... As like you said, you wouldn't be posting if you already had a solution for this.

Good luck.

Sorry, but these 'answers' really bug me. I am at college four days a week from 9-4pm. I then work at the college from 4-7pm five days a week. Tuesdays, weekends, and after I get home are spent eating, doing laundry, anything else I've not had time for, and doing extra coursework. In my lunch hour and (late) evenings I find time to read the forums and play SL. Does that mean I have too much time and money on my hands and should be spending these hours working?

It's quarter to one in the morning here. I am not 'lazy' because I play online games when I should be working. If i worked until this time every night I probably wouldn't have survived this long. I also believe Lordfly commented on how SL paid it's way for him, so I'm not sure why you're even picking on that aspect of his personal finances.

People fit fun in where they can. Just because they manage to fit it in doesn't mean they're slacking and could be better spending their time (admittedly, I could be better spending my time in bed but then I'd never get a break).

Anyway, the point of the big long rant is that people's situations aren't that black and white, and that these 'well you're obviously not working NOW so no wonder you have no money!' posts are totally unnecessary.

Back on topic; I think you're brave, Lordfly, for asking this (knowing what a slating you were bound to get - I mean, c'mon, you get that for posting in the wrong forum here!). But I think my take on it is; how come you consider it a matter of pride not to take on a (government?) loan specifically intended for the purposes of supporting people through study, yet you're willing instead to ask people from a community on the web for monetary loans? I'm not sure I understand how you're seeing that as more 'worthy'?

(edited to emphasise *curiosity* not *RA RA RA*)

So we can use the forums to beg for money? I had thought they were supposed to be used to talk about Second Life.

Moved to Notices and Well-Wishes.