I needed to get in one more post before the end of February, so this is it ladies and gentlefolk. This might be one of my more rambling posts, but I have a few topics I'd like to touch upon. One of which is my displeasure with tax season and AmeriCorps. And millennials in general, how odd our lives are. I have a few things to gripe about, and well, I wouldn't be if I didn't let everyone know about it.
But let's start on a less cantankerous note. Life is going as well as it can be right now. Nothing terrible has occurred, and for the most part, everyone I love is well, healthy, and content. It's also slowly entering the months where we might some warmer weather and sunshine. I could use some sunshine. I'm beginning to prep for my garden and decide which vegetables and flowers I want. Having fresh food for summer cooking will only add to the great summer I know I'm going to have. Hiking, Michigan, gardening, beach. And maybe Cranberry Lake for fourth of July? I think I can handle this. More than handle it, I'm ready for it.
My best friends are getting married somewhere amongst all that as well. My dance competition is only two months away now, and can anyone say tango? I have three dances I'm prepping for (tango, waltz, and foxtrot.) I'm beginning to look at my life more, and think about what I really want from it. Some of it is simple: eliminate my debt. Save money. Travel. Some of it is harder to put into words: contentment. Fulfillment in job and home and health.
I've heard these are very millennial traits, which only furthers my frustration with my job and tax season. Once I completed my AmeriCorps service, I had difficulty finding a new job, and one that paid me well. Yet, I did receive this awesome Education Award that I could use to pay down my student loans, and the relief I felt was palpable. Student loans are a killer, as many of my friends can attest to. Nasty things, with exorbitant interest rates and soul crushing customer service. Hence the reason I work two jobs at the moment. Catch #1, Education Award is only for federal student loans (they were very vague about this when I signed my contract), but I had federal loans so it still worked, and helped to pay off some of those. Yay! Now, catch #2. This particular award counts as extra income. Yep. So, even though my income for the past year kept me under the poverty line, I still had to pay taxes on it. Lovely right. Serve your country, but we're going to tax the only thing of value we're giving you. Have fun with that. So...what was the point of the award, when I could have paid that money off on my own and eventually received a tax break? Holy hell, it's ridiculous! It really just tarnishes my whole experience with AmeriCorps. They offer these seemingly great incentives and perks, but the catches that follow undermine anything of worth. I know I hit a bad year in general, with the government shut down and then the mess with insurance. But, I can barely express my disappointment with my AmeriCorps service. I gained experience in a way, but it has done little else to further my education, life, or career path. I don't regret taking the job, mostly. It did bring me to Maine after all. Yet, money has become such an issue. It's a huge stresser on my life. So what's a girl to do? I keep working, and I cut my expenses. I do my best to live minimally when I can, but life. It's just this add frustration that even though I work hard, work long hours I'm still stuck. I'm getting no where. Yet, do I give up my apartment, my life in Maine, and scamper somewhere else? Do I pick up and leave?
I can't do that. I can't just give in like that. The way is not clear to me. I'm sure it will all come clear in time, I have faith that it won't always be like this. I also realize that so many others are in similar positions. This is such a common problem for college graduates, that loans and the cost of housing and food and the lack of viable experience all pile against us and we're holding it all on our shoulders. But it won't always be like this, and I have to trust that my education was worth it and that I can do something more with my life than just fret over money.
But let's start on a less cantankerous note. Life is going as well as it can be right now. Nothing terrible has occurred, and for the most part, everyone I love is well, healthy, and content. It's also slowly entering the months where we might some warmer weather and sunshine. I could use some sunshine. I'm beginning to prep for my garden and decide which vegetables and flowers I want. Having fresh food for summer cooking will only add to the great summer I know I'm going to have. Hiking, Michigan, gardening, beach. And maybe Cranberry Lake for fourth of July? I think I can handle this. More than handle it, I'm ready for it.
My best friends are getting married somewhere amongst all that as well. My dance competition is only two months away now, and can anyone say tango? I have three dances I'm prepping for (tango, waltz, and foxtrot.) I'm beginning to look at my life more, and think about what I really want from it. Some of it is simple: eliminate my debt. Save money. Travel. Some of it is harder to put into words: contentment. Fulfillment in job and home and health.
I've heard these are very millennial traits, which only furthers my frustration with my job and tax season. Once I completed my AmeriCorps service, I had difficulty finding a new job, and one that paid me well. Yet, I did receive this awesome Education Award that I could use to pay down my student loans, and the relief I felt was palpable. Student loans are a killer, as many of my friends can attest to. Nasty things, with exorbitant interest rates and soul crushing customer service. Hence the reason I work two jobs at the moment. Catch #1, Education Award is only for federal student loans (they were very vague about this when I signed my contract), but I had federal loans so it still worked, and helped to pay off some of those. Yay! Now, catch #2. This particular award counts as extra income. Yep. So, even though my income for the past year kept me under the poverty line, I still had to pay taxes on it. Lovely right. Serve your country, but we're going to tax the only thing of value we're giving you. Have fun with that. So...what was the point of the award, when I could have paid that money off on my own and eventually received a tax break? Holy hell, it's ridiculous! It really just tarnishes my whole experience with AmeriCorps. They offer these seemingly great incentives and perks, but the catches that follow undermine anything of worth. I know I hit a bad year in general, with the government shut down and then the mess with insurance. But, I can barely express my disappointment with my AmeriCorps service. I gained experience in a way, but it has done little else to further my education, life, or career path. I don't regret taking the job, mostly. It did bring me to Maine after all. Yet, money has become such an issue. It's a huge stresser on my life. So what's a girl to do? I keep working, and I cut my expenses. I do my best to live minimally when I can, but life. It's just this add frustration that even though I work hard, work long hours I'm still stuck. I'm getting no where. Yet, do I give up my apartment, my life in Maine, and scamper somewhere else? Do I pick up and leave?
I can't do that. I can't just give in like that. The way is not clear to me. I'm sure it will all come clear in time, I have faith that it won't always be like this. I also realize that so many others are in similar positions. This is such a common problem for college graduates, that loans and the cost of housing and food and the lack of viable experience all pile against us and we're holding it all on our shoulders. But it won't always be like this, and I have to trust that my education was worth it and that I can do something more with my life than just fret over money.
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