Part 2: Adulting 1.2

As you recall from Part:1, I was just leaving university with about $45,000 of debt baggage, a car full of my stuff, and of course my trusty dog. I moved to the east coast where a musician seemed much more appreciated. I immediately picked up some work teaching piano at the conservatory and as a teaching assistant at the university. But even after that, I was broke. Pretty sure I lived off of peanut butter sandwiches for too long, while the poor dog was living on ‘Ol Roy. So I picked up more work as a waitress to try and make ends meet every month, and I was still in the red month over month. By that time, those student loan payments kicked in, and after I paid my rent there was almost nothing left. A smart person would’ve moved home for a bit and gotten on their feet, but oh no, not me, I was determined.

I remember one of my low periods where I was out walking the dog and praying because I was just so worried. A minute later, I kid you not, two five dollar bills blew across my feet. I looked around and didn’t see anyone who may have dropped them, so off I went for more peanut butter and bread!

It got to a point where debt really felt like it was just who I was now and moving forward. An absolute sense of hopelessness set in. That feeling only made the debt problems worse, because I accepted there was nothing I could do to make it better. I think we get to this point when staring at large balances and being so overwhelmed that we quit trying. It’s so much easier to tackle bite sized objectives compared to these massive multi-year stretch goals, and if you always see things as a mountain instead of a mole hill, it’s easier to never start the climb. And that’s how I spent my early 20’s.