(no subject)
I am narked off. So far this year I've been doing okay money wise, better than I thought we would given the current climate and it being our first year away from home. We've had ridiculously expensive bills, found surprisingly cheap supermarkets, spent more than we should on gig tickets (I broke my promise and bought tickets for Al Pitcher last night. Shame on me) but we've been doing okay.
Now the University is taking away a shit load of money - not only that, but demanding that the money they have given me has to be given back. Apparently giving my home address AS IT WAS this time last year and telling them that I won't be living in student halls, I'll be living on my own, paying rent and paying bills and paying all the other crap that comes with living ON MY OWN...it's not enough.
I'm getting snarky letters essentially saying "You filthy liar, you're not living at home at all! We have to stop giving you money now, because instead of assessing you on how much your parents make we won't assess you on your income at all. Never mind the fact that compared to your parents you make peanuts scrubbing toilets for posh kids, and if anything you need more financial help then before. Nope. This is your own fault."
Maybe it is, maybe I wasn't clear and they thought that somehow I'd be living in Buckinghamshire and sodding commuting to Bath. I don't know. But for the past few weeks I've been stuck in a telephone and email hell, trying to find someone to help me only to be informed that I'm ringing the wrong place. Bath College, Bath Spa University, Student Finance Direct, Student Loans, Bath Council, Buckinghamshire Council...I'm sick of it.
My mum already helps me out financially (and other ways) more than she should have to. My dad pays nothing - and everytime I ask him he tells me to get a second job (and believe me, if I could, I would. Aside from staying financially afloat I am actually doing a fucking university course). I don't want to be the spoilt daughter who demands money from her parents. If I could, I would love to not have to rely on my parents for anything. But my dad promised he would help me, and I KNOW that he's been waiting for me to crack and ask. I know he makes more than my mum does, that if he was truly penniless he wouldn't be planning a transatlantic move in a few months, and that he's already renting out my room to some bloke. Incidentally, I had to find that out from my mother. Cheers Dad.
Really, I've typed this out in order to build up the anger and determination to ring him up and ask for help. I've been fucking about all week putting it off, but it's gone too far. It's not fair on me, or my mother, that he doesn't help at all. Wish me luck.