OP, I've been in your shoes, or at least similar ones. At Stanford, and out of it, years ago. I wish I'd had someone like my current self to talk to back then. PM me if you'd like to talk. There are no saviors, but you're not alone, and it gets better. Anonyfish: satnightfever.
I took a risk leaving school and now I need help
11–20 of 40 posts
Re: I took a risk leaving school and now I need help
#12I would say go back to Stanford if that is an option. You'll grow a lot there. I don't know what you mean by "change," but if you need pointers on how to handle the schoolwork or on how to take advantage of the resources you would have at your disposal, just let me know here and I'll get in touch.
I really do want to go back to Stanford. The change I was referring to was the culture. There is so much brilliance in a place like that, and I was not prepared (as someone that rode the school bus 4 hours a day for most of my public schooling) for such a huge change. I owe Stanford tuition, though, so that isn't an option until I can pay it off.
Re: I took a risk leaving school and now I need help
#13I grew up in Navajo County(Holbrook & Snowflake) and now live in Downtown Palo Alto. I understand the drastic change you've experienced more than anyone on HN. These Ivy league pricks have no idea. No matter what you do...don't give up. Learn as much as you can and keep growing. I went to ASU and when I was your age I went through a similar experience. All you can do is keep innovating, keep learning and find a suppo…
I lived in Winslow and am in Flag currently. I think you are exactly the type of person I was hoping to reach. There's only so much that words can describe when it comes to cultural differences. I know that now -- I was hesitant to reach out because I wasn't sure if anyone understood the challenge of Rez-life. Ahéhee'!!
Re: I took a risk leaving school and now I need help
#14My wife and I own a salon in New York City. We're looking for someone to help work on our salon software which was built a few years ago in PHP. Do you know how to code or have any inclination to learn? We could start with something small - maybe $100/week to get you started while you learn and fix a few bugs, then ramp up to a $30k or $40k/yr gig. Not a ton, I know, but it would be a start :) If you're interested, m…
Wow, seriously!? This is great! I just got started learning how to use CakePHP (PHP was my first love). I will definitely be in touch!
Re: I took a risk leaving school and now I need help
#15I would say go back to Stanford if that is an option. You'll grow a lot there. I don't know what you mean by "change," but if you need pointers on how to handle the schoolwork or on how to take advantage of the resources you would have at your disposal, just let me know here and I'll get in touch.
I really do want to go back to Stanford. The change I was referring to was the culture. There is so much brilliance in a place like that, and I was not prepared (as someone that rode the school bus 4 hours a day for most of my public schooling) for such a huge change. I owe Stanford tuition, though, so that isn't an option until I can pay it off.
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Re: I took a risk leaving school and now I need help
#16I'm an undergrad at Stanford right now, and my understanding is that they do everything they can to meet demonstrated need.
I could be wrong, but I think nearly all student loans (public and private) can be deferred indefinitely while you're in school. I'm not sure what you plan on studying. There are many fields that can put you in a position to pay your loans off rather easily, given that you put in the sweat.
Is there anything else stopping you from coming back? The finances seem to work if you want them to.
Re: I took a risk leaving school and now I need help
#17It sounds like you've already had an incredible journey. You made hard decisions (leaving your home multiple times including just now), and you fought incredibly difficult battles (against cancer, maybe cultural ones as well). Now, your next move is a little more mundane. The most dramatic decisions are actually behind you I think - now you just need to decide to succeed through perseverance. That probably means gett…
This is reassuring to read. There aren't a lot of people around me that I can relate to, so when it comes to the situation I'm in, I guess I panicked a little because I'm actually on the streets now. I have a few cents in my bank account, but I am hopeful as ever. Thank you
Re: I took a risk leaving school and now I need help
#18I grew up in Navajo County(Holbrook & Snowflake) and now live in Downtown Palo Alto. I understand the drastic change you've experienced more than anyone on HN. These Ivy league pricks have no idea. No matter what you do...don't give up. Learn as much as you can and keep growing. I went to ASU and when I was your age I went through a similar experience. All you can do is keep innovating, keep learning and find a suppo…
Nitpick... Stanford is not an Ivy, but instead part of the Pac-12.
Re: I took a risk leaving school and now I need help
#19My wife and I own a salon in New York City. We're looking for someone to help work on our salon software which was built a few years ago in PHP. Do you know how to code or have any inclination to learn? We could start with something small - maybe $100/week to get you started while you learn and fix a few bugs, then ramp up to a $30k or $40k/yr gig. Not a ton, I know, but it would be a start :) If you're interested, m…
Wow, seriously!? This is great! I just got started learning how to use CakePHP (PHP was my first love). I will definitely be in touch!
I have worked with quite some PHP frameworks in the past. Do tell me if I could help you with anything at all!
Re: I took a risk leaving school and now I need help
#20I would say go back to Stanford if that is an option. You'll grow a lot there. I don't know what you mean by "change," but if you need pointers on how to handle the schoolwork or on how to take advantage of the resources you would have at your disposal, just let me know here and I'll get in touch.
I really do want to go back to Stanford. The change I was referring to was the culture. There is so much brilliance in a place like that, and I was not prepared (as someone that rode the school bus 4 hours a day for most of my public schooling) for such a huge change. I owe Stanford tuition, though, so that isn't an option until I can pay it off.
I would revisit this. Financial aid at Stanford is extremely generous... I was a beneficiary myself. Someone in that office will help you figure this out. I am still in the Bay Area, so if you need someone on the ground, let me know.
To be honest, your $20K loan sounds like an error. Alumni like myself do not donate back to Stanford so that things like this happen.
EDIT: Added the final paragraph.