(no subject)
So exhausted right now. I've been doing taxes. Turns out that me doing them by myself isn't exactly as awesome as I always thought it was. There have been tons of mistakes/oversights in the past 7 years I've been a taxpayer. Luckily, some of the damage is being repaired, and I'm stopping at the Barne tomorrow to pick up a copy of Taxes for Dummies, so that I won't make mistakes in the future.
I have to say a big I LOVE YOU to VITA, or Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, a free service run by School of Management students. They were so nice and kind, and really good at what they do. Speaking as someone who has been in the position of helping others with difficult things (hello New Student's Program and UMass Helpline), the amount of patience they had was impressive.
Money used to cause a lot of anxiety for me. It still does, but I feel more on top of it than ever before. By the end of this year I should be all set to start saving seriously for the first time ever. My father is always telling me the merits of saving early. I have to do that, and not just for myself. I really don't want my children to be in the same "uhhh, what college fund?" situation that I was in.
Speaking of affording college--I have been pretty lazy about not being involved with Take Back UMass. I've done a bit here and there, but I read a Gargano gem today that really changed my mind. He said that students who can't afford UMass should just enroll in community colleges. This is evidence of how out of touch he is. Community colleges DO NOT offer bachelor's degrees. I came to UMass from a transfer program that ended when I earned my associate's degree. It was a great place (Middlesex) but it is NOT a substitute for a University education by any means. He either doesn't understand the public education system or is implying that low/no income students should only be given partial educations. The entire philosophy of PUBLIC education is access, and he's aiming to limit it more and more. It saddens me a great deal, especially because it will only hurt the state by permanently oppressing lower classes.
Got to go, German exam and early A.M. apt. viewing.
CR
I have to say a big I LOVE YOU to VITA, or Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, a free service run by School of Management students. They were so nice and kind, and really good at what they do. Speaking as someone who has been in the position of helping others with difficult things (hello New Student's Program and UMass Helpline), the amount of patience they had was impressive.
Money used to cause a lot of anxiety for me. It still does, but I feel more on top of it than ever before. By the end of this year I should be all set to start saving seriously for the first time ever. My father is always telling me the merits of saving early. I have to do that, and not just for myself. I really don't want my children to be in the same "uhhh, what college fund?" situation that I was in.
Speaking of affording college--I have been pretty lazy about not being involved with Take Back UMass. I've done a bit here and there, but I read a Gargano gem today that really changed my mind. He said that students who can't afford UMass should just enroll in community colleges. This is evidence of how out of touch he is. Community colleges DO NOT offer bachelor's degrees. I came to UMass from a transfer program that ended when I earned my associate's degree. It was a great place (Middlesex) but it is NOT a substitute for a University education by any means. He either doesn't understand the public education system or is implying that low/no income students should only be given partial educations. The entire philosophy of PUBLIC education is access, and he's aiming to limit it more and more. It saddens me a great deal, especially because it will only hurt the state by permanently oppressing lower classes.
Got to go, German exam and early A.M. apt. viewing.
CR