Stuff About Me— School Nonsense, Depression, Life, & Animals

I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1990. I've lived or worked on every side of the city. I know it very well.

I live with my boyfriend in a two year committed relationship. He's a great emotional support rock and I love him so much. Anytime I am insecure, he is really good at keeping me afloat in the ocean of my emotions.

I have two cats and a dog. Poppa is a black long-haired cat and we adopted him from the rescue that works with Petco in early 2019. He was bred a lot, so he was a grandfather when we got him. Leon is a grey cat we rescued in June 2019. They are besties. I got Cinnamon in February of this year. She is a chow chow— my favorite breed. I grew up with a chow chow mix from the time I was 9 years old. I've met five chows since then and instantly connected with each one. In July 2011, my lovable dog brother passed away and I hadn't had a dog since. This year, I was able to get Cinnamon and, as of writing, she is 8 months and a handful. Yesterday, she chewed up the cord of my vacuum that I hadn't even owned for a year. Her favorite color to chew is pink— phone cord, shoes, blanket. She also loves to destroy unicorns. I love her anyway.

Leon (left) & Poppa (right):

Cinnamon:

I currently work at a bank as a switcher— teller and banker. It pays the bills and is definitely the better job I've had. I am introverted, so it is definitely not ideal. I like office jobs where I don't have to speak to the general public. Meetings and general talking is easier for me when I know everyone. There's a lot less social anxiety for me. I've been lucky that it's not so debilitating like some people I know. It just doesn't go away. It doesn't stem from any particular thing. I just will always have issues talking with people because I find it so draining. Writing is easy. Drawing is easier. Neither of them drain me quite like talking with the general public daily with a full-time job. I am grateful to have the job that I do— especially during this pandemic. I am just trying to find something that is more wholly suited to me.

School is like opening Pandora's Box. I am going to graduate in May 2021— I have only 6 classes left. I started in August 2009, so it's been going on for almost 12 years. I started as a double major at IUPUI in English and Computer Graphics. I wanted to be a storyboard artist and write books on the side. I will never give those two up. In 2011, I was going through depression due to many factors. In 2013, it peaked. I found that I could not take any more classes without either getting a private student loan or paying it for myself because of this:

Basically financial aid has a limit of the number of credit hours you can take to get your degree. The limit goes a little bit higher when you do a double major, but not by much. Each degree requires 120 credit hours and almost not of my classes overlapped. It's a total of near 240 credit hours for both degrees.

"You must complete your degree requirements within 150 percent of the published credit hour length of your academic program. For example, if your degree requires 120 credit hours for completion, you must be on track to complete your degree requirements before attempting 180 credit hours (120 credit hours X 150 percent)" (https://studentcentral.iupui.edu/funding/manage-financial-aid/satisfactory-academic-progress.html).

I was unaware of this rule— nobody ever mentioned it until I reached the limit. So I could either get a private student loan or pay for it by myself. In 2013, the most I have ever made was $200 a week from McDonald's. My parents were both broke and their credit was worse than mine. The only person I could ask was going through some things and could not help. Basically— I was screwed.

I was living on my own (barely) in 2013 and was able to get a job at CVS distribution center. It didn't pan out well. I am a meticulous person and I am not meant for speed. It wasn't for me. I lost my apartment and moved in with my sister, Aleya, in the unfinished basement of a rental with her current boyfriend and my cousin. After months of searching and depression, I was able to find a job in January 2014 at a grocery store. I made the same amount as McDonald's. Aleya suggested I get a second job and I did at Olive Garden. It was not good for me. It took me six months to save up $600 and the hours were killing me. The grocery store was at night and Olive Garden was any time from 11am-10pm. I had to pay my sister back for her support. I couldn't take it. I was making more at Olive Garden per hour than the grocery store, so I left. At Olive Garden, I was making 800-1200 a month, but it fluctuated. So from then on, I tried to get a full-time job.

I was unable to make enough money and support myself, so I moved back in with my mother briefly. I decided to finish my English degree. The degree requirements changed with the Computer Graphics degree, so that would've added a bunch of classes. My English degree was willing to work with me— they let me keep the requirements from when I started in 2009. I was able to take one class at IUPUI in Fall 2014 for $1225. In Spring 2015, I took 2 classes/ 7 credits at Ivy Tech to transfer back to IUPUI for about $1200. That Spring, I also totaled my car which left me with little options. My sister Tina had a car, but she didn't have her license. In exchange for driving her around, she let me use it briefly.

I stopped using her car and took the city bus to and from my job at Subway until I got a job at a bank. Before I worked at a bank, I never made more than 300 a week. I only generally made a bit more than 200. I decided to move out on my own in 2016— for the last time. As I was working at a bank I had to borrow my sisters car until my mom's accident in early 2017. Luckily, my credit was decent enough and I had enough to buy a newer car.

I wasn't able to afford another class until Spring 2018 after I finally got a full-time job. I have had a full-time job ever since and it is a blessing. The only downside is that I am tired after work, but my livelihood is much better. I have been able to take 4 classes since then. The only reason I will be able to afford the rest of my classes is because my car is nearly paid off and last year I found that there are tax benefits to paying classes on your own. It's been a long 12-year goal, but I am so close to this finish line I can taste it!