Let's Talk Money

Do I see myself as financially responsible? Well, not exactly. I know I could be more responsible with how I spend my money. The last time I went home, my parents showed me my bills and pointed out how much I was spending, which a lot of it was for things I just wanted but did not really need. A lot of it was spent at one of my favorite places of all time. Starbucks. Well, after reviewing my bills, I decided I would have to make the tough decision to cut Starbucks out of my daily routine and just settle for making my own coffee. It was a sad day for me, but I know it will help me a lot in the long run regarding choosing wisely where to spend my money.

I have not ever prepared a budget before. I had known of them previously, but I myself have never prepped one. Making a budget in class for Cocky was the first time I had ever had experience with one, and it was time consuming! It is not something I would like to do by hand ever again. Thank goodness there are other ways to prepare a budget or I would not even think about budgets ever again. However, after making a budget in class, it made me think again about my spending and income. I decided it would not hurt to make a budget for myself to help me keep track of my money.

When I graduate, I would like to be in a position financially where it will not be hard to pay off my student loans. Currently, I am still applying for more grants and scholarships so that my parents will not have to pay as much. I am also striving to do even better in my classes because I know that can affect the scholarships I have now and any future scholarships I may receive. Also, by making a budget for myself, I can see where I spend my money most and factor that in when I go out and decide what to spend (or not spend) my money on.

I had not noticed the financial status of the students at Hand Middle School. I come from a family that did not have much growing up and they believe in being resourceful and saving whenever we can. Whenever I go out, no one would ever be able to guess that my family does not make that much money. Because of this, someone’s financial status is the last thing I think about when I see them.

I found that the most useful thing from the Career Center presentation was that they have multiple options to get experience in any field of work. I learned that they have externships and co-op opportunities which are very interesting to me. If I could have an internship in any field, it would be in the medical field. The majority of my family works in the medical field, so it is what I am most familiar with.

Let's Go See The World

One of the things I learned from the Study Abroad/National Student Exchange presentation was that you did not have to base where you study abroad based on what language course you are enrolled in. I also learned that cost is not that big of an issue. There are so many grants and scholarships available to students, and the university works with students so that they are able to study abroad. That was one thing I was really concerned about, because my parents are already paying so much money to put me through college. They have encouraged me to go ahead and get involved and do the Study Abroad program, but I am always thinking about what it will cost them as well.

Another thing I learned was that there are also opportunities to study within the country at participating NSE colleges or universities. I like this option, because I had previously considered going to the University of Knoxville. I have friends and family there, so I now am aware of another opportunity to study there through the NSE program. This is also a good opportunity to go to a different state that I have not been to yet. There are so many possibilities with this study abroad option that I do not know which one to choose if I decided to go through with it.

If I were to choose somewhere to study abroad internationally, I would choose Australia or Ireland. I have family in both countries that I am not as familiar with as I would like, and studying abroad there would be a great opportunity to connect with them as well as learn more about their cultures. I would also consider studying abroad somewhere in Europe. I want to go touring around Europe one day, and I think that studying abroad there would be a great start to get acquainted with European culture.

Keep It Healthy!

Drama between my friends stresses me out the most. I love all my friends and I do not like when they argue with each other constantly. I hate having to choose sides, so I generally try and keep a neutral opinion, which is more often than not very stressful. Bouncing between bickering friends is never a fun thing to do. I do not always know how to help solve the issues at hand which stress me out even more. I hate not knowing how to help my friends so it is just a crappy situation to be in.

Since I came here to college, I have gained a little weight. I noticed this one weekend when I went home, so now I try and watch what I eat and how much I eat. I try to include more fruits and vegetables and eat in smaller portions. I continue to walk everywhere, and most often take the stairs instead of the elevators. I am usually stress free, but there are times when I feel overwhelmed and very stressed out. Music is my go to stress reliever. I love getting lost in the sounds and it calms me down. I try not to be around food when I am stressed, because then I would eat a lot of junk food to make myself feel better.

As for things I should stop or start to stay healthy, I already mentioned a few things I am doing. In my free time, when I am not studying I can start walking/running or go the gym to help maintain a healthier lifestyle. The people I am around also affect my lifestyle, so I usually hang out with people who share similar views to me concerning health. Also, the people I hang out with are generally positive and outgoing people, so that is also a major factor contributing to my health and lifestyle.