Help Syd Pay for College Tuition

Both 2020 and 2021 were an immense struggle for me. I was dealing with undiagnosed mental illness coupled with the isolation of covid quarantine all while navigating freshman year in an unfamiliar city. As a result, my grades suffered and I ended up on academic probation. In January 2021, I lost my grandfather to covid. Despite my grief, I started improving and was actually on an upward turn. Unfortunately, I soon lost steam and fell into another deep depression, culminating in me being hospitalized for nearly a week in March of that year. I was academically suspended from that college by the end of the semester.

I took a couple years off to get my mental health under control, started seeing a therapist and working minimum wage. In January of 2023 I landed a job with my current employer, and while It's still retail, it's been such a rewarding experience working for an employer who cares. This was the push I needed to pursue education once again.

I was accepted into University of West Florida last fall, despite my past at my previous school. It was a struggle at first getting used to being academically minded once again, but I finished the semester with a 3.5 GPA and made Dean's list. Same with this spring, I finished with a 3.4 GPA.

Despite these accomplishments, per government regulation my financial aid was pulled due to the failed classes from the 2020-2021 academic year. I do not meet the 67% completion rate. As such, I have to pay out of pocket for the summer semester, and likely subsequent semesters. I do not make enough money right now to reasonably pay for this. Financial aid was my lifeline to getting my degree without going bankrupt as my family is lower middle class and we cannot afford the cost of tuition.

I decided to make this fundraiser as an aid to myself. All money raised will go to paying tuition for the semester and money raised past the goal will be applied for subsequent semesters as well as textbook costs. I appreciate anything anyone decides to donate. Thank you for reading this.