• 0-60 miles in 6 months • I'm going the distance! • Click here to follow my journey on Facebook! • And here's my Twitter page!
It was difficult for me to come to the decision to ask my peers for assistance in attaining the kind of education I believe will best suit me. As someone who copes with both depression and an eating disorder, to presume that I might be able, let alone worthy, to know triumph is an obstacle that imposes itself at every upturn. There are times when I believe that victory is not meant for me, a belief which buoys along the brim of my potential—a safe and familiar structure upon which I cling when the tides take to turbulence.
I know that I've got to abandon that place of debilitating comfort if I want to give this existence all I've got. Being accepted into St. John's College is a tremendous breakthrough for me; the school provides a cooperative, collaborative learning curriculum, one which I believe lends itself to a fuller, more resonant educative experience. I'm part of the way there! The school awarded me a $14,000 merit scholarship (renewable each year of attendance as long as I keep to my scholarly standards), so it's up to me to fill in the rest.
Reviewing the cost of attendance made me believe that going to St. John's was an insurmountable goal. I won't give my parents, who are nearing retirement, a new debt to nurse. I'm prepared to take on my own debt, but first, I'd like to ask for a little help. Tuition, room and board, and fees come to a sum of just over $60,000/year (http://www.sjc.edu/admissions-and-aid/financial-aid/tuition-and-fees/). Subtracting my scholarship and financial aid leaves about $29,000 unaccounted for—that's where loans, other scholarships, financial aid, and the like come in. I will be diligently applying for assistance over the next few months, including what I'm entreating here. Glancing through the flurry of forms, I realized that you never know what just asking might accomplish: so I ask, will you help to supplement the cost of my education?
No matter what happens, I'm going to St. John's.
No, literally! I'm gonna walk there!
There are about 60 miles between my home and my future, and I'm going to overcome that distance. With copious training, determination, and will, I'm going to go from sedentary to sportive. I'm giving myself three days: August 10th, 11th and 12th to cover 60 miles on foot, to prove to myself that "impossible" is a condition merely prerequisite for "triumph". This journey will undoubtedly expose parts of me which I'm not ready to confront, but it's been said that readiness is not the pat on your back at the starting line, but the high-five rooting for you along the way.
I'm scared, but sure.
*A Cause Within a Cause: For the last two years, I've spent about three hours a week volunteering with the Prince William chapter of Literacy Volunteers of America (https://sites.google.com/site/litvolpw/), and would like to donate 10% of what we raise here to continuing that effort. It has grown to be inextricable to my values, and so crucial to the advancement of my own intellect—after all, how do you know that you truly understand something until you've been thrust in the role of the teacher? I've been lucky enough to work with some brilliant, dedicated students, and I hope that contributing some of the fruits of this cause will help to not only articulate my gratitude, but to keep those gracious gears going!
Please consider sharing my story and/or donating (if you are able). I'll be posting weekly updates (disgruntlements and all!) here and on my Facebook page.
A thousand times thanks to you all. Here's to going the distance!
Reverently,
Rachel
It was difficult for me to come to the decision to ask my peers for assistance in attaining the kind of education I believe will best suit me. As someone who copes with both depression and an eating disorder, to presume that I might be able, let alone worthy, to know triumph is an obstacle that imposes itself at every upturn. There are times when I believe that victory is not meant for me, a belief which buoys along the brim of my potential—a safe and familiar structure upon which I cling when the tides take to turbulence.
I know that I've got to abandon that place of debilitating comfort if I want to give this existence all I've got. Being accepted into St. John's College is a tremendous breakthrough for me; the school provides a cooperative, collaborative learning curriculum, one which I believe lends itself to a fuller, more resonant educative experience. I'm part of the way there! The school awarded me a $14,000 merit scholarship (renewable each year of attendance as long as I keep to my scholarly standards), so it's up to me to fill in the rest.
Reviewing the cost of attendance made me believe that going to St. John's was an insurmountable goal. I won't give my parents, who are nearing retirement, a new debt to nurse. I'm prepared to take on my own debt, but first, I'd like to ask for a little help. Tuition, room and board, and fees come to a sum of just over $60,000/year (http://www.sjc.edu/admissions-and-aid/financial-aid/tuition-and-fees/). Subtracting my scholarship and financial aid leaves about $29,000 unaccounted for—that's where loans, other scholarships, financial aid, and the like come in. I will be diligently applying for assistance over the next few months, including what I'm entreating here. Glancing through the flurry of forms, I realized that you never know what just asking might accomplish: so I ask, will you help to supplement the cost of my education?
No matter what happens, I'm going to St. John's.
No, literally! I'm gonna walk there!
There are about 60 miles between my home and my future, and I'm going to overcome that distance. With copious training, determination, and will, I'm going to go from sedentary to sportive. I'm giving myself three days: August 10th, 11th and 12th to cover 60 miles on foot, to prove to myself that "impossible" is a condition merely prerequisite for "triumph". This journey will undoubtedly expose parts of me which I'm not ready to confront, but it's been said that readiness is not the pat on your back at the starting line, but the high-five rooting for you along the way.
I'm scared, but sure.
*A Cause Within a Cause: For the last two years, I've spent about three hours a week volunteering with the Prince William chapter of Literacy Volunteers of America (https://sites.google.com/site/litvolpw/), and would like to donate 10% of what we raise here to continuing that effort. It has grown to be inextricable to my values, and so crucial to the advancement of my own intellect—after all, how do you know that you truly understand something until you've been thrust in the role of the teacher? I've been lucky enough to work with some brilliant, dedicated students, and I hope that contributing some of the fruits of this cause will help to not only articulate my gratitude, but to keep those gracious gears going!
Please consider sharing my story and/or donating (if you are able). I'll be posting weekly updates (disgruntlements and all!) here and on my Facebook page.
A thousand times thanks to you all. Here's to going the distance!
Reverently,
Rachel
Organizer
