Happy Halloween! Even though, I wasn’t allowed to celebrate Halloween as a child, I always admired the Halloween spirit. People were so cheerful and excited to dress up, act different and of course get free candy. Instead of trick-or-treating, my sisters and I would watch scary movies. Freddy Krueger, the Saw puppet and the Joker would haunt us for the night. We jumped, screamed, and went underneath the covers to avoid any scary moments. But, I realized those methods to avoid whatever scared me couldn’t be applied to the college process: my biggest fear.
The college process is scary, but don’t worry. Why? Well, think about it. In every scary movie there is always a survivor who tells his or her story as a mean to help others. So here is my story. Once upon a midnight dreary… I wondered about how I would pay for school. My parents were going through some trouble and I knew they couldn’t help me as much as they wanted to. So, I had to be independent and take things into my own hands and find a way to pay for school. I quickly sought out a paid internship, I called anyone who needed a babysitter, and I researched lots of scholarships. But, I still didn’t think that was enough. I was truly scared and I though I would have to wait to go to college. I would have to take a year off and just work in order to pay for school. But, with a lot of phone calls to the financial aid office, and licking of envelopes that would be mailed off to different scholarship committees, I made it and was able to pay for school. I survived!
Do you really have the money to pay for college? If not, that’s what scholarships are for! Apply to as many as possible. Even to the little ones! And, start as early as possible! Usually December is the hot month especially for students of color. *Hint start looking now!* Also, go over the financial aid policy with your school. Tell them about your issues and let them know what you can afford. Also, the financial aid office is a great resource because they can refer you to any other scholarships including those that alumni may offer. Paying for college and applying to scholarships is scary and dreadful, but you get a sweet reward: free money and a great education!
So for Halloween, I don’t think I’m going to dress up. Probably because I put it off to the last minute. And, I don’t think I want to watch Saw 3D. But, I am going to enjoy myself by hanging out with my friends and going wherever the wind blows. I mean isn’t that’s the Halloween spirit: to have fun and be the kid that you are. So, go trick-or-treating, eat lots of candy, and enjoy a night of pure silliness!