A city full of wackos and dreamers

A New Beginning

In 2012, I stood on the brink of graduating from university in a small town in Colorado, with a yearning to do something bigger. The past year had been a whirlwind of changes: navigating a breakup, starting a new relationship, and deciding that my hometown could no longer fulfill my longer term dreams. I applied to several graduate programs, driven more by the allure of living in "cool" cities than by the programs themselves. I envisioned these cities as my escape, my gateway to a new chapter.

As graduation approached, I eagerly awaited acceptance letters from the three graduate programs I had applied to, seeing them as my golden ticket out of my small town. But fate had other plans—all three applications were rejected. This setback, however, turned into a blessing in disguise. Ignoring my advisor's cautious advice, I applied to Parsons School of Design, a school I had only just discovered through a serendipitous YouTube search. This video of a photography major biking through New York City, camera ready to be used at any moment, captured my imagination. “My favorite thing about New York City is that it’s full of wackos and dreamers,” she said. Her freedom and inspiration embodied everything my early-twenties self craved. I, too, was a dreamer, so I knew that New York City was the place for me. 

Financial Twists & Turns

With newfound determination, I applied to a program at Parsons that blended design and social causes. It felt right, perfectly ambitious, and aligned with my values. A recommendation letter from the Dean of Students at my undergraduate college bolstered my application. However, the full-ride external scholarship I applied for (that I ended up being nominated for) required an acceptance letter by a deadline I couldn't meet. Despite this, I was accepted into the program with a smaller scholarship than hoped for and decided to attend. Unaware of the true costs of living and studying in New York City, I was ready to chase my dream, no matter the financial implications.

Accepted

The day my acceptance letter arrived is etched in my memory. As some top hit alternative song of 2012 played in the background (“Some Nights” by Fun.), I saw the words on the page “accepted..” and I was in disbelief. I had been accepted to one of the best design schools in the world. In that moment, financial concerns were a distant second to the excitement of pursuing my dream. Long story short, after exploring guidance from the various acceptance letters and resources, I arranged student loans to cover my first semester and began shedding my possessions in preparation for the move to New York City.

Ticket Towards a Dream

The process of signing loan documents felt like a blur; I saw loans as my ticket to freedom. Ironically, I later viewed them as a ticket to decades-long debt. I chose student housing in lower Manhattan, costing $1700/month, oblivious to what constituted “reasonable” expenses in the city. I didn’t care at the time about the intricacies of how money related to my future. Odd jobs helped cover my daily costs, but by the end of my two-year program, my debt had ballooned to approximately $104K. For years, I felt overwhelmed by this financial burden, often struggling to see a way out. However, through many failed attempts at paying the minimum balance, diligent effort, and increasing my skill sets in financial planning through the internet, I refinanced my loans to a lower interest rate, which provided some much-needed relief. Over the course of the next decade, I dedicated myself to paying off the balance. This journey turned me into an expert in managing and reducing debt. I learned not only to keep my head above water, but to soar—at least financially (for now).

A New Perspective on Debt

This journey has profoundly altered my perspective on debt. While I remain cautious about incurring student loans of such magnitude again, the experience has taught me invaluable lessons about financial management and resilience. Each form of debt I've encountered since has presented its own challenges and insights, shaping my approach to personal finance.

Today, I use these hard-earned lessons to help others navigate their own financial journeys. Whether through sharing my story, offering advice, or providing practical strategies for managing debt, I am committed to empowering others to achieve financial stability and freedom.