An introduction from Rose Marye P.

Hello everyone.

Let me start with some quick background information about myself. I am a non-traditional student which basically means that since I am 26 years old I have to rely on myself to pay for my schooling, no help from Mom and Dad. I am currently a freshman attending Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky and for the most part I truly love going to school and I do not regret the decision to return, at least not until I see my loan bills and the realization that after just 1 semester and right at the beginning of a new semester I have already racked up $13,000 in loan debt. No, I am afraid that is not a typo, that is in fact a one, a three, and three zeroes with no decimal in sight.

We are taught from the time we are young children that if we want to get ahead in this world we need to attend college. Here I am, attending school to be a high school social studies teacher, and the reason I through this little bit in is to point out that I truly do understand the value of a good education. But keeping in mind that education is supposed to be a top priority it boggles the mind to think of the sacrifices we make to go back to school. In order to keep up my school schedule I had to drop down to part-time employment. I can no longer afford to live on my own and therefore had to resort to moving in with my financially strapped parents.

At already thirteen thousand in debt after just one year of school it boggles the mind to think of where that debt will be by May 2011 when I am supposed to graduate. Then I will be expected to start saving money towards college for my children that I may one day have, but how can I do that if I am busy paying of 40 to 50 thousand dollars of debt for my schooling?

This is a big, vicious cycle that really should end. Education, knowledge is power. It is not something that we should have to sacrifice whenever the pennies get tight. But the first thing that goes for us college students struggling day-to-day is our education. Sure it starts of slow at first, a class here, a class there, but eventually you find yourself contemplating dropping out entirely to get a full time job in order to pay your bills. We need help.