Today is the first day of the new system! So, that means that if you want to find my art piece place go to my website or Tumblr. But this blog will contain art, rants, opinions, and life. And feel free to follow my other social media site, all the links are in the post called "Stepping Stones".
To start off with today I just want to make a few things clear. One, I was NEVER taught about budgeting and leases and loans and all that adult stuff. Honestly, I think parents and teachers expect you to either sink or swim in the real world without help. It would have been nice to have a class that taught you all the important things in life. Like taxes, does anyone really know what they are doing unless that have a degree in taxes? So lost. And second, everyone that I thought "supported" me told me that I was going to fail at being an adult. What a confidence booster they are. I feel like I can take one the world now. Nah, can't do it because my team says I can never do it. Whoohoo.
Let's start at the beginning of the story. My friend B and I were feeling the leave the nest syndrome and wanted to move out on our own. The plan was to work part time, go to school full time, and have a social life. I thought it was a great plan. I would get life experience and find myself and my art. That semester we got both our families to agree to let us try this our. But both sides said that we were going to end up crawling back home because we can't do it. So B and I was out to set them straight. The plan was I move in with B's family for the summer, get a job and car, and find a place to live. Sounds solid enough right? Come summer time there were like no jobs around. Especially illustration jobs because we live in the boondocks here. (Another story completely.) So I finally got a job after 2 months of searching. 2 FREAKING MONTHS!
By that time my depression hit. I lots all love for the arts. I barely sketched or painted. I laid in bed all day unless I had work. It was torture. One month after work started school started again. So the plan changed. We decided to stay at B's house until we got a car. So I started saving. Then food became an issue. I was eating more and more. One part depression another part emotion. By the time I knew it was the end of the semester and winter break was there. No car and no apartment.
B and I were getting fed up with our situation. So I said "why don't we give it until the summer and if nothing changes I'll move back on campus." But then we thought luck was on our side. My refund money finally can in from not living on campus for the year. We were so pumped. It was right before I went to Italy and Greece for my on-sight sketching class. So the week before I left we went car hunting. We found this cute PT Crusier that would totally work for us. But the dealership was shady as all get out and we heard terrible things about them and their cars. But I was like "hey, we aren't going to find anything cheaper and it is in house financing. What is the worst that can happen?" So I put a down payment on the car and signed my name away. And the piece of shit has been a thorn in my back ever since. (Another story.)
So I get back from my trip ready and pumped for apartment hunting. A few days after we found an apartment for $450 a month. Not bad right? Between two people $225 a month each. So we went and looked at it. It was small, but we didn't need much. Next week we signed and moved in. We then set up oil, electricity, and internet. Not too bad in the beginning. But then work started cutting our hours. By the second month B couldn't pay her half of the bills. So I covered. Third month neither of use could pay, so I took out a line of credit. Then four month B couldn't again, so I paid. But the smaller bills started to pile up. While, mind you, we were both in school five days a week. Summer comes and we started to think we are catching up. But the is barely any food in the house and barely change for laundry and gas. August comes and we get a knock on the door. One of my checks bounced and we owe them back rent. Great. So I step up a payment for October for all the bills to catch up. Mind you B is a really great friend, but terrible at money management and having money for bills.
September comes and so does school. I was so stressed and so depressed I drew once a month. Most of the time it was for school projects. I needed out. The car was breaking down, work was a hell hole, and the aparement was a soul eater. I was loosing it. Then we got an email that made me dance for joy. The email was an eviction notice. We were not served with papers from any legal firm or anything so it doesn't really count poorly. But there was a lopole for my sanity. We moved back in B's family home in late September.
And I stayed there until signing up for the for this very semester. I realized I need to focus on my senior year and my art work. I let a whole year and some months go by without making art. So I moved all my crap back to my family's home and got my face rubbed in the mess I made of my time away.
A few things a learned from this experience was that you need to know how to budget, have a roommate that knows how to be responsible with that kind of stuff, and to focus on myself. I know that I am not getting back into that situation again. Or at least try. I need to focus on eating right, hanging out with people outside of classes, and focus on my happiness with life. I need to art. (To art is a verb, ask any artist.) I am slowly getting my fire back and getting all these ideas. I'll share them once I flush them out some more.
So if you have any experience like this and want to compare notes please leave a message. Plus I'll be posting more stories and answering any questions you have. Don't forget to follow me on any and/or all of my social media accounts. I hope you have a lovely evening and get plenty of rest.
Until next time,
Suzanna
