Anxious about the future

[g-scared]

I have been very anxious about the future lately. I have some pretty ambitious goals, which include going to graduate school in the Netherlands, and raising 27,000 dollars by July 1st.

To make things more difficult I was let go from my job in April. It was for economical reasons, and I don't take it personally. However, it came at a very inopportune time.

Then the other day I found out that the graduate school I was going to burned down. It's called TU Delft and its in the Netherlands. I was upset at first, but seeing how well the faculty reacted to it, I actually felt relieved.

So, I lost my job, I also had some problems with my last roommate, and moved out. I'm squatting at my sisters for free, which is awesome, but I still have bills to pay and no income.

On top of this I am waiting to hear back from a scholarship opp, and I check my email compulsively all the time, wondering if I will get my big break. Ahh... the stress.

I even thought that my boyfriend was going to leave me, and I realized that was pretty foolish / unfounded.

I guess I will try to cut down on coffee! My thoughts are ridiculous... I need to relax. Any advice?

 

[Halo]

G-Scared,

You definitely sound like you have a lot going on.

I am trying to understand whether you are still planning on going to graduate school in the Netherlands or whether you have to put these plans on hold because the school burned down. If you are still planning on going then you definitely have a huge task in front of you to raise that amount of money in one month and being unemployed at the moment I am sure isn't helping. Is the scholarship going to help with the money that you need to raise and hopefully take care of that? Did the committee say when you might hear from them about the scholarship?

Sorry I have a lot of questions but I am just trying to get a better understanding of your situation and anxieties to hopefully offer some better suggestions.

If you are feeling at all anxious then cutting down on your coffee is probably a good idea. Caffeine can definitely make anxiety more intense. There are also many other relaxing activites that you can do such as reading, exercise, watching tv, writing, taking a bath and when you find that your anxiety is really spiking, concentrating on your breathing and only your breathing helps to focus your thoughts away from the anxiety (at least these are some of the things that have worked for me)

 

[ladylore]

My first priority would to be either find another job or apply for EI. Once you have some money coming in you will be able to relax more.

 

[g-scared]

Thank you for the responses.

Halo, as for your questions...
Regarding the school, I do plan to continue my plans of attending. I received a very reassuring letter from the head of the program and was assured that no delays would take place and that the quality of education would remain high. I am fortunate to be in the architecture department, which is their largest faculty (over 3000 students). They have received a tremendous amount of support and donations. Needless to say, a new building has already been secured and classes are scheduled to go on as originally planned.

As for the scholarship. I should know soon, however, I am not sure of the exact date. There are a couple of phases and I am now being reviewed for final selection. It has been about 10 days since my last correspondence, and I am afraid to intervene because the task is a difficult one and I do not want to rush them.

Basically it is for a United Nations scholarship, and I have been chosen as a finalist to represent the USA, however, they need to ensure equal geographical distribution of their fellows throughout the planet.

I have been looking for a variety of free-lance work and got hired for a catering job, but am waiting for my first gig.

I think I am kind of on top of things, but still stressed..

Thanks for the advice.
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Sorry for all the typos, I have friends over and I'm trying to be quick.
Thanks

 

[Halo]

G-Scared,

From what it sounds like you have everything under control with respect to going to school and it just seems like more of a waiting game now on the scholarship. I am sure that you are anxious about that and I hope that you hear from them soon. Congrats on making it to the final round on the selection progress :2thumbs:

 

[g-scared]

Thanks. I will let you know if I make it.