Stress and Anxiety about entering College
So, I’m about two months away to enter Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles (private college) but I am really stressing about finances for school. I’m short on money at the moment to pay for the remaining balance for my tuition and finding a way to pay for rent for a room in the LA area (expensive area to live at but the school is there). My mom is willing to help me to pay for the first few months but she is off at vacation time from her work( she works at a school, and school is out for 2 months at the moment, so no income). My dad is willing to help to pay to but he doesn't pay bills constantly, so that worries me.
I plan on to do work study but I have to wait until school starts. I apply to many scholarships (about 10 so far) but some of the replies were that I didn’t get the scholarships and the others, I have to wait until July and August (and possible even longer to even know if I got it or not). I worry to pay for these bills and I don’t want to take private loans yet because I’m already taking 2 federal loans to pay for school. I have to look on the long run on how much I will pay when I graduate. I worry and it scares me.
My friend, who I thought that I would be going to the same school is going to a different university now. I’m happy that she choose a school that now, she can practically go for almost free with the financial aid. But now I’m frighten to be on my own with all these issues. She has relatives who have been through the college’s finances and struggles that she can ask help with but I have to figure this out on my own because I’m a first time college student in my whole family.
Now, my mom is asking me if I want to transfer to community college to save up money for the 2nd year because she doesn't want to spend a lot of money on the general ed classes on the 1st year. I didn't choose the other schools that I got accepted to because I didn't want to take general ed course like it was high school all over again, which I told my mom about it.
Now, I don't know what to do. My mother wants me save up money so I can transfer in my 2nd year. But my dad wants me to go to the school of my dreams (because of the specific course and degree I want to get in animation at art school) and he tells me that we’ll figure out the finances on the way, but first we have to go and talk to the financial counselor again and ask the important questions, again.
If I do move out, my parents are separating and having a divorce. Its fine because now, for many years their relationship is extremely strain and only stayed together for me to finish High school, but now it feels like that I will no longer have a home in my hometown of 18 years. That saddens me.
I live far away from LA (2+ hour drive with traffic) and have no close relatives that lives close by. I don't know how to drive yet.
I’m the only one of my close 5 friends who is moving out the home town, which extremely sadden me and brings me anxiety. I still have social media to contact them but I feel like a part of me feels numb to the core. I’m extremely awkward and self-conscious that I feel like that I may not make any new close friends at the school. I feel like that they are all moving on away from me with better things in there lives. Most of them I have a 5-6+ years of friendship of our roller coaster lives but one of them I have, now, 8-9+ years of friendship. I been with them for so long, that I don't know how I will react with them not there, constantly (face to face) with me.
I feel my anxiety level at a all time high than it ever was. Now, I get massive headaches just from thinking about all the stress.
I really want to go to the school but I don’t know what to do.
Do any of you guys have any advice on this college situation on finance and moving away from home.
Have any advice on scholarships and a way to get them?
How the transition of high school to college?
Any advice is really appreciated.
