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The Grim Problem of Existence


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The Grim Problem of Existence

Posted 01-21-2013 at 02:23 PM by STM
Depressing title for a not so depressing blog.

As a couple of people might or might not know, I am planning on going to university. Very, very excited about that because it's an opportunity to meet so many new, interesting people and actually learn something I'm interested in without having to do bull shit alongside it.

Minor set back, turns out I can't afford to go. Yay! Even with the loans I can get I'm still £15,000 short over the three years. Subsequently, it looks like I will probably have to defer entry for a year and get a 9-5 job to pay to enter in 2014-2015. So unless anyone knows a miracle way to make £15,000 in seven months let me know. Hell I even considered dealing weed until I realised I have morals.

It's sort of exciting though, hasn't put me down for long because I'll get some experience of IRL and even if it's shit it's better than nothing. Job centre here I come.

In other news, I just hit 7000 posts which was kind of cool, though I'm slightly miffed that I managed to rack that number up so high in a relatively short amount of time, I should probably post less...but more relevant shit instead of a stream of bollocks.

Also, thanks for the kind words about hosting the awards ceremony, it was nice, if not a lot of work, more than I thought any way. =)

This blog was going to be so much longer and 2x more whiny but I realised no one probably cares to read a wall of text about something which is relatively trivial compared to some shit going on right now.

Dontcha just hate money?
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Comments
Bullet Magnet's Avatar
Free society ends at the same time as free education.
Posted 01-21-2013 at 03:18 PM by Bullet Magnet

STM's Avatar
You think you were ever free? Trust me I'm still 'learning' for free but I'm not a free person.
Posted 01-21-2013 at 03:32 PM by STM

Wings of Fire's Avatar
...How can you not afford university? Did they completely axe student loans and maintenance grants in the last year?
Posted 01-21-2013 at 04:06 PM by Wings of Fire

mr.odd's Avatar
You could always whore yourself out.
Posted 01-21-2013 at 06:06 PM by mr.odd

Bullet Magnet's Avatar
But the overheads are outrageous.
Posted 01-21-2013 at 06:19 PM by Bullet Magnet

Nate's Avatar
What's the point of student loans if they don't cover the cost of going to university? What sort of stupid, backwards country do you live in?
Posted 01-21-2013 at 09:35 PM by Nate

Phylum's Avatar
I was hoping to live off of student payments from the government when I hopefully start studying music, but I think that I would have to live off of a diet of refried beans. As much as I would love to bum around and play flute for 12 hours per day it look like I'm going to need a job.

My parents have said they'll put me up if I stay in Adelaide (mainly because my dad wants at least one of his sons nearby) but I think that would stop me qualifying for the payments and I'd need to work, albeit less, to pay rent.

Is there a scholarship you could win or something? It can't hurt to put your name down for things, especially if you're actually selling a book online.
Posted 01-21-2013 at 10:20 PM by Phylum

Jordan's Avatar
I'm with the others on this, how is it possible that you can't afford to go to university? I'm pretty sure the student loan covers everything.

What course do you want to study?
Posted 01-22-2013 at 02:00 AM by Jordan

OddjobAbe's Avatar
I don't even have 3000 posts yet, I don't think.

Regarding university, all I know is that a loan that doesn't cover everything sounds bullshit. Are you sure a mistake hasn't been made somewhere along the line?
Posted 01-22-2013 at 04:04 AM by OddjobAbe

Crashpunk's Avatar
The awards were great, We need to have another one...
Posted 01-22-2013 at 05:10 AM by Crashpunk

STM's Avatar
:
...How can you not afford university? Did they completely axe student loans and maintenance grants in the last year?
This will probably answer yours and everyone else's questions; I get £9000 a year to cover the actual fees, that's the loan I pay back once I start working, it's more of a tax really. You pay 9% of it back a year after you earn £21,000.

I also get a £3575 maintenance loan to cover food and living. If you're on lower incomes you get grants, unfortunately (or not so from any other perspective) we can cover our bills but we don't have money for anything else, basically that means the government expects my parents to help me front the cash even though they obviously can't, nor would I want them to.

So I have £3575 a year cash in hand. Accommodation alone is about £5000 a year. I'm not entitled to anything else except a bursary for my grades which knocks £1200 off my £9000 fees.

:
What course do you want to study?
English.

:
The awards were great, We need to have another one...
Rock Hard Election II, bro!
Posted 01-22-2013 at 08:23 AM by STM

Ridg3's Avatar
There's nothing immoral about dealing weed.*

Deal weed.

*Unless you're buying off a criminal and selling to children/hateful bastards.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 08:38 AM by Ridg3
Updated 01-22-2013 at 08:43 AM by Ridg3

OANST's Avatar
The only immoral part is what you'll be doing in prison after you get caught.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 08:40 AM by OANST

STM's Avatar
Rapin' e'rybody?
Posted 01-22-2013 at 08:40 AM by STM

Ridg3's Avatar
If you get caught.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 08:41 AM by Ridg3

STM's Avatar
I'll do it either way in the end.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 08:48 AM by STM

Bullet Magnet's Avatar
£5000 a year for accommodation? Where are you planning on living exactly? That maintenance loan covered everything for me.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 08:51 AM by Bullet Magnet

MeechMunchie's Avatar
:
What's the point of student loans if they don't cover the cost of going to university? What sort of stupid, backwards country do you live in?
A Conservatively governed one.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 09:05 AM by MeechMunchie

STM's Avatar
Well it's slightly under £5000, I'll be living in an apartment building. There are cheaper options but you have to share a shower room with other people and I just cannot do that.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 09:05 AM by STM

Wings of Fire's Avatar
Are you going to university in London? If so, you do know you get a lot more in London right?

My rent was £250 a month for a really nice apartment in the west end of Glasgow. That's £3000 a year. If you're paying more than that then you're really not looking hard enough.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 09:09 AM by Wings of Fire

Wings of Fire's Avatar
Additionally, you should be entitled from financial help from the university if you cannot afford to pay your bills. I was entitled to £1000 a year that I never had the foresight to claim until my final year.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 09:13 AM by Wings of Fire

STM's Avatar
Oh no it's in Leicester providing I get in.

Here look, this is the website that the university gives you:

http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/accommo.../fees-payments

City living is more expensive but the apartments seem a fuck tonne nicer looking.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 09:13 AM by STM

STM's Avatar
E: Okay so it's closer to £4500 a year actually, I was rounding up but the point still stands it's more money than I get.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 09:16 AM by STM

STM's Avatar
:
Additionally, you should be entitled from financial help from the university if you cannot afford to pay your bills. I was entitled to £1000 a year that I never had the foresight to claim until my final year.
Really? Wow, no one said anything about this. Maybe it changed with the fees going up?
Posted 01-22-2013 at 09:18 AM by STM

Wings of Fire's Avatar
I think you should prioritize low cost over ensuite accomadation. I shared a shower with five other people for my first year and it was totally fine. Additionally, I was stuck in a party flat in the room next to the communal area. You'll manage.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 09:18 AM by Wings of Fire

Wings of Fire's Avatar
:
Really? Wow, no one said anything about this.
Nobody said anything about it to me either. You need to get in touch with the university and ask the right people what grants and bursaries you'll be entitled to.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 09:19 AM by Wings of Fire

STM's Avatar
Hmm, okay well I am going to send some emails tonight any way. To be honest, even if I did go for the most basic accommodation I would still need more money than I had because I would have to buy amenities. This seems to be my best option, but as I said I'm sending emails out tonight, they might suggest I do something different.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 09:21 AM by STM

Wings of Fire's Avatar
As a side note, one of my flatmates for 2nd-4th year had catered accommodation in his first year and he absolutely hated it. He said it's basically school dinner quality at inconvenient times and it actually ended up costing him more than buying his own food would. I don't know if that's what you were planning, but I suggest learning to cook and living inexpensively on supermarket deals. It's character building.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 09:34 AM by Wings of Fire

STM's Avatar
Oh yeah that was what I was going to do, I can cook okay but I really want to be able to live for myself you know? I don't want to be served slop by other people for another 3 years of my life.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 09:46 AM by STM

Jordan's Avatar
Sharing a bathroom isn't that bad, you need to lower your standards if you want to have more money to spend.
Posted 01-22-2013 at 10:43 AM by Jordan

 
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