Hello, I'm TJ, and to plainly put this, I am trying to raise money for my education & my certifications to become a licensed optician & to do opticianry. Been interested in eyewear through a collectors stance for the past 15+ years dealing with vintage & contemporary fashion pieces, even handling in some pairs dated as far back as the 1850s, & even working with sourcing some pieces limited to productions of 25 or less made in the world by reputable brands for a few individuals. I became more interested in the medical aspect in the past 6 years & saw a chance for myself to have a place in this world as I was leaving out of any pursuance in working in entertainment/animation. Even with my focus directing onto the medical aspects, I do wish to keep a firm grasp of handling such pieces like they are jewelry & applying impeccable craftsmanship to what I do. I had a chance back in 2020 to get into an office but the Covid Pandemic saw an end to that very quickly before I could have my 1st day.

I've been struggling for years to find an opticians office to apprentice under & I've had no luck. Rejected, sneered out the door, & overall just left unwelcomed by many places. Every attempt to progress just feels like I've rolled snake eyes with the outcomes I've been dished. I've tried to find work for the past years to help fund my education but again, its been constant rejections for even simple minimum wage jobs... I've tried to carry on with doing freelance illustration work as my general income but hitting severe burnout, constant anxiety, crippling depression, amongst many other negative mental barriers & thoughts have hindered my productivity down to a null. I've tried to manage this on my own but I'm stuck in a standstill with little to no hope.

So I'm stepping forward asking for help & hoping I can start paving my way here. If I can't find a place to apply myself once certified due to meeting similar outcomes of rejection like prior, then thankfully I'll have the backing to allow me to open my own doors when the time comes.

The money will be going to paying up for:

--------------------------------------------------

Classes/Tuition

Workshops & Potential travel fees

Any potential testing fees

Books

Related tool & basic machinery to practice with. (hands on learner)

Rent

Groceries

Bills (Phone/internet/utilities)

--------------------------------------------------

Its all pretty straight forward, hoping from now on that its all upward from here for a change.