Financial Aid
So, when it was time to apply for financial aid, I received letters for federal loans that I could apply for as a student, but I also received letters for federal loans that my parents could apply for as parents of a college student. When talking about paying for college, my father would tell me that he would pay for my college tuition after I graduate. His reason was that he had a relative who was spending his father’s money acting like he was going to school, but wasn’t actually. And I was okay with this, I understood. So I tell my father about these federal loans he could apply for because, I guess I figured it might be beneficial. He tells me he wants to talk to somebody. And these letters for loans were from FAFSA I think, I don’t think they were directly from the university. But since he wants to talk to somebody I figured the financial aid office at the university would be able to answer any questions. So I schedule a meeting with a financial aid advisor. We drive to the university, which isn’t too far away, and sit down with the financial aid advisor, and I’m there ready to take any notes like a good student. I forget exactly how the conversation started, but he starts talking, taking control of the conversation like he typically does. I’m not sure what questions he had, but he didn’t really ask any questions. After talking for a bit he then starts talking about how his daughter, my sister, is buying a house, and he goes on and on talking about other stuff. Then he starts getting emotional and can barely talk. Then he looks at me and tells me he loves me. Then the lady financial aid advisor looks at me and tells me my dad loves me. Now I’m embarrassed because he’s all emotional, and I’m confused because I didn’t understand why he was overreacting; we had an understanding that he would pay for the college tuition after I graduated; it’s not like he had to apply for those parents loans or else I wouldn’t be able to afford college and I had no clue how my sister buying a house had anything to do with this. I was just going with the flow hoping to leave as soon as possible, and since classes didn’t actually start for another couple of months, hoping everyone would forget my face by the time classes start. Anyway, I forget how that conversation ended, but as we were walking down the hill back to the car, I tell my dad not to worry, that I plan on working part time. And he replies, “so you’re gonna work?” and I reply back simply saying “yeah.” After doing some thinking, I think what he was trying to say was, so you’re not going to go to college and you’re going to work instead, or, so you’re going to work during college and you won’t be able to handle it so you’re gonna dropout. Either way, it wasn’t a supportive tone and he wasn’t emotional anymore.
Anyway, so my parents did actually help me out with a place to stay, when I wasn’t living close to campus, and a car to drive, when I was driving to school. My parents bought a brand new luxury car, which is cool, but confusing because why was my dad all emotional at the financial aid office. Then a year or two later my dad gave me a $40,000 check to deposit into my bank account to “hold on to.” And after I graduated my parents did pay a couple of monthly payments of my student loans, but I eventually told them not to worry about it.