You know when you have reached your limit of resources, but you have spent more than half of your life trying to achieve something, but you can't afford it , so out of desperation you take someone's suggestion to start a GoFundMe? Yeah, so I'm there right now.

I have the opportunity to go to the Syracuse JDi program. It's majority online with six week-long, in-person residencies. I was awarded two scholarships, one for merit, the other for my work in the public interest field. I also have access to $10,250 in federal loans per semester. However, that still leaves me about $5k short, per semester, for just tuition. I work full time, so I think I can handle the fees and make gettings books work. I'm nervous about paying for a hotel when I do the residencies, but I have time to save before the first one in August.

I've been derailed before. I dropped out of undergrad when I was 21 or 22 and didn't graduate until I was 34. Now I'm 36 and at this point I'll be 39 or 40 by the time I graduate. I could put this off another year or so, but if I do, it won't happen. And frankly, I think it'll be quite some time before I could afford it or rebuild my credit enough to get private or plus loans Yeah, that's the other issue. I screwed up too much in my 20s and then during the pandemic just trying to stay afloat that now my credit score tanked. I also happen to be on a low dose of chemo because of lupus, so, well, I don't know, but my health won't let me stall and pick up later, either.

I wish I could bribe people and be like, "hey help me and you'll have a free attorney for life," but I'm going to work for nonprofits and/or government agencies until I die. So no quid pro quo options.

Anyway, I feel really dumb doing this and I don't expect anything. And if some people donate but I don't raise enough (via work or philanthropy), or if some other amazing (affordable) opportunity arises, I can give it back or donate it to something.