So I've been freaking out a little about student debt. I always knew I'd wind up with a lot (didn't have a great deal of choice for a fair few reasons) but I guess the enormity of it all is starting to make me balk. I'm going to OXFORD of all places as a grad student in a couple weeks and I feel incredibly blessed and lucky and it's like some strange, surreal dream and all but still the idea of cost is just really bearing down on me. I sometimes wonder if it's worth it and whether or not I'd be better off just scrapping those plans and entering the workforce ASAP. But ultimately, I think I'd have more chance at success if I pursue my masters just cause it'll really open up my potential employment options - I'm doubtful that an undergrad degree in History is gonna get me far in and of itself. And I figure that I could potentially get a public sector job with the skills I gain (Mandarin), which means my loans could be forgiven in ~10 years. I dunno. It's just all a bit nerve wracking. I need to start making money, and quickly, just to keep all that interest down. I can't complain, I knew what I was signing up for but I guess I've just a had a bit of a delayed realization, heh. All of this + actual stress from the fact that I'm going to get my ass kicked mentally and intellectually has really had me on edge for the last couple of weeks. On the bright side, though, I've had a pretty great summer. A lot of reading, a lot of writing, a lot of family-time. Can't ask for much else :). AND a new Iron Maiden album was released a couple days ago and it's GREAT. So there's that.
So first of all Oxford was my youngster dream as kid (I really liked the Golden Compass), so congrats. Second, don't worry about it, we're all drowning in debt, I'mma just wait for the bubble to pop in a good ten years and see what goes from there. I just hope my university is happy that my invisible money got put into our mascot-shaped pool. They better be when they start lookin for a bailout. I'm also talking out of my ass and am only three weeks into a Macroecon class, so I could be wrong about all of that, but you know
Heh, I'd wanted to go to Oxford ever since I was 10 and found out that Tolkien went/taught there. Bit silly, but there you go. Thanks for the encouragement, anyway. It sorta seems to me sometimes that our generation got the shit end of the stick in more ways than one but I guess I'm still holding out hope that it'll make us tough as nails and prepared to change things and make em easier for the kids that come after us. (one can dream I guess).
Firstly, congratulations! Second, don't worry about student debt -- it's pretty low interest in the UK and is automatically taken from your wages. Plus you're going Oxford, you'll be able to afford an accountant to make it all disappear in some dodgy tax crap in a few years ;)