When does it stop getting worse?

[uk elephant]

It'll stop getting worse when it starts getting better and the trick is to look for the small bright lights rather than wait for the full solution. You managed to get a short term temp job. That's a start. When I've been in similar situations (and I've been desperate for jobs a few times), even a short temp stint has been a step in the right direction. And even before this contract ends, keep looking for extentions or new jobs. I've generally been lucky by tracking down every temp agency in the vicinity and stopping in at least once a week to remind them that I'm still looking for work. My first job assignment here in the UK was just by luck. I went in to the temp agency to pester them again for the fourth week on the run and by random chance they had just had a job come in 10 minutes ago. They put me through a typing test and I got started the following week. If I hadn't been there insisting, I'm fairly certain they wouldn't have given me a chance. It helps not being too picky too. The "highlight" of my working life was my summer working at the public toilets in town in the little booth charging each person the equivalent of $1 to enter.

The same pestering goes for beaurocrats in the financial aid office. In my experience beaurocrats do not think until somebody pesters them enough to do so. They follow the daily routine and need a bit of shaking up and pestering to use common sense. So march down there whenever you can and keep calling when you can't go to the office and keep pestering until they help you find a solution.

And in general, never give up. No matter how bleak it seems it will get better again. And remember that there are a whole bunch of people over here rooting for you!

[Python]

There's an old saying: "It's always darkest before dawn".

We've had more than our share of downs, especially with serious illness in our family - son's a renal dialysis patient, has been for almost 5 years since he was 15 and my husband had a major heart-attack just over 2 1/2 years ago which meant he had to give up his job so money's been very tight ever since. He's got a new job now with the prospect of making good money.

I'd do what others have advised - jump your own height to make them take notice if necessary.

Just hang in there. Things will get better.

[mtkitchn]

HipGnosis6,
Sounds like you are going through quite a rough patch. I hope you get the financial aid issues resolved, and that things start to look up for you. It doesn't seem like it now, but you will be all the stronger when you get through these times.

[run it, ride it]

It stops getting worse once you hit rock bottom--when one huge bad thing that you couldn't have conceived puts all the other problems in perspective. It will get better after you realize, "it honestly can't get worse. Well, F**; I'll just stick along for the ride then." It won't be a swift recovery; in fact, it may be so incremental that you don't notice it.

Write everything down. Don't look at it for a few months. Come back to it and think, "wow, well, it's not great but it's better than it was." Some things, like your boyfriend leaving you or the trouble with your pets, won't be so sharp and painful in your memory.

The financial stuff: talk to everyone you can. Counsellors, banks, your family--SOMEONE will have a solution, or a set of solutions. The biggest part is wanting it bad enough. It sounds like you do.

It's true that usually bad things aren't happening to us -right this second,- unless, of course, your mental state of being clouds everything over with panic and paranoia. Your life could be perfect on paper but miserable on the inside. It's not what happens to you, it's how it affects you.

[Bikingmomof3]

Everything has basically been stated by others. I just wanted you to know I was thinking of you and we are here for you. (((((Hugs)))))

[Trek420]

Just wanted to let you know that this board has been and can be a tremendous source of support. I know I leaned on you all too much when I went through the year from He** or was that years?

I often think about my dear late cousin Marvin (who died much too young of Lukemia, thanks TnT riders). Anyway he was such a great guy and he had this philosophy that you "go ahead and make a decision, make your best one, if it doesn't work out you make another....repeat." You zig zag your way through it all.

Lots of stuff is follow through and I'm all about making lists and checking things off, also with the tuition aide thing I'm the undisputed queen of escalating to higher ups and heads should roll on that one.

Just keep moving, things will get better, you'll see.

[LBTC]

Hip

You'll get through it

I'm proud of you for going to school
for loving and caring for your pets
for leaving a job on principle

You can't be a bad person if I'm proud of you. And you can't get stuck where you are with all of us lifting you up from the inside.

Everyone has said so much, but I'll say a little again:

There are lots of people in a beaurocracy who can say no. Keep asking to see their supervisor until you find the one who can say yes.

And picture yourself, your pets, surrounded by butterflies. On the way to and from interviews, whenever you are stressed, whenever you want to be happier. Surprising, but for me those wings are magical (or godlike).

hugs and butterflies

Namaste,
~T~

[Dogmama]

Lots of stuff is follow through and I'm all about making lists and checking things off, also with the tuition aide thing I'm the undisputed queen of escalating to higher ups and heads should roll on that one.

What she said. I work at a major University (read: layers of red tape) and if you get to the right level of administrator, they can get things done.

[spokewench]

What kind of bike do you ride, what kind of replacement wheel do you need?

You never know what old parts might be lurking around a TE Member's garage?

the Spoke Wench