#why will a scholarship help you in reaching your goals? because i dont want to pay tens of thousands of dollars a Year for school

[bananasofthorns]

scholarship applications go to hell and DIE challenge

[giftofwonder]

The Tomb (Dabi x f!Reader) - Part Three

WARNINGS: NSFW 18+. Smut.

TAGLIST: @mikasackrmann @missalicebaskerville @liitlesushi @bonemarroww @jamaisvusbitch @winchescumberholland @mira-mirach @babayaga67

You had been so focused on his words, you hadn’t realized you had already reached the river. There were a few woman standing naked, waist deep in the cold water, washing clothes.

“Give your dress to them, they’ll clean it for you.” Dabi said, as he handed you a coin to give to them as well.

You did as he said, pulling your dress up to keep it dry, and walked to the women.

One of them took your dress and coin, and you smiled in thanks. Her hand softly grabbed your arm before you could turn away, her eyes flickering toward Dabi before returning to you.

“Be careful of that man,” She spoke so softly you almost couldn’t hear her, “All is not as it appears.” She warned.

“What do you mean?” You whispered back, confused and concerned.

“He will trick you, try to make you trust him...dont.” Her voice still soft, but stern as her knowing eyes urged you to believe her. You nodded your head and she released you, and you made your way back to land. Dabi stood watching the sky, his posture relaxed, but turned his attention to you when he heard you approach.

He held his hand out, which you took, and he pulled you from the water with ease. He lead you over to sit in the shade of the trees. Dabi still had a hold of your hand, which you didn’t mind, save for the woman’s words that you were still mulling over in your mind. His thumb traced circles over your knuckles as your hands sat atop his thigh.

“What is your family like?” He asked suddenly, breaking your train of thoughts. You sighed and looked up to the sky.

“They’re difficult, but I love them. My parents fell in love when they were young. They got married and had my brother. Things were really good. Then I was born and financially, it was stressful for them. My father found a good job but it kept him away most of the time. Mom was overwhelmed with both of us. My parents fought a lot back then.

While dad was away, he met a woman and fell in love. He sent divorce papers to my mother in the mail. She was heartbroken, but I don’t think she was surprised. My brother moved to live closer to my father and my mom remarried and had two more children. I was sort of forgotten. My brother was always the favorite of the two of us and my mom was busy with her two new children. I was still a teen then.” You said with a sigh as you thought back on the past.

You had always been interested in history, and when all of that was going on, you can places all of your focus on it. Learning all of the secrets of the past. It kept you occupied, everyone had so much going on so it was easier to just stay out of the way.

“Then I went to college, I earned scholarships to pay my way into school, and when I finished my studies, I got my first job. I still talk to my parents here and there, but I work a lot and spend most of my time traveling. They’re usually good people though, and I know that they love me.” You finished with a small smile, relaxing back into the tree.

Dabi looked at you with a brow raised. “What about a husband and children?” He asked.

You laughed. “As nice as that would be, I don’t know if I’m cut out for that. I’m gone a lot, always working and traveling. A family takes a lot of time. I’ve got a team of people depending on me right now. I’m usually their only source of income. If I had to give it up, I’d be the reason they couldn’t feed their families.” You frowned and sighed. Dabi regarded your words and nodded. You looked at him and found his eyes on you.

“What about you?” You asked after a moment.

“It never really crossed my mind. I was too focused on my goals.” He said.

“Do you regret it?” You asked quietly, before you could think to stop yourself. It was something that was always in the back of your mind. Would you regret it if you didn’t have a family, if you just kept working. You could never decide and so you always felt stuck, continuing on without making a change because it was all you knew. It was safe.

“Sometimes,” he sighed, “The league was all that I had. It was lonely, and I wondered what it would have felt like to have something different. To fall in love and be a father. If I would have been better than my father was.” He thought aloud.

“But even if I had wanted to, look at me. No one would want to wake up next to this.” He finished with a bitter laugh, and you could see the raw look that flashed through his eyes. The honesty. His statement wasn’t some ploy, it was how he truly thought of himself.

You squeezed his hand, saddened by his words. The scars were harsh. They were intimidating. But they didn’t make him unworthy of love. You found them beautiful in a way, they told a story. His story. Who he is and the challenges he faced. Those stories are marked in his skin, his strength and will to survive forever visible.

“Don’t say that, if you had taken a different path, I’m sure you would have found someone who would have loved you. All of you.” You said, your voice a whisper.

Dabi shook his head, his eyes facing forward staring at nothing.

“You’re delusional.” He spat.

“I’m serious!” You huffed. His head rolled towards you, his eyes unreadable.

“Be honest, doll, could you love someone like me?” He said in a hushed tone.

Dabi took in your wide eyes and the blush creeping up on your face. As you opened your mouth to answer, he cut you off, knowing that no matter what you said, he couldn’t handle hearing it.

“Enough about that. Our clothes are ready.” He said standing up and walking back to the river. You scrambled to get up and jogged after him. Once you got your clothes, along with another look from the woman in the river, he led you back to his home. He was quiet for the rest of the night.

You had helped him make dinner, and briefly talked, but not much was said. His mood was sour and so he kept to himself.

__________________________________________

Over the next week, things continued the same. You would wake up wrapped around him, and you could swear you felt his hands roaming your body during the night. You would eat and bathe together. He would show you the city, let you explore and follow you as you studied everything around you. You asked questions, many questions, about the people, about customs there was little information on, and about his past.

He told you the league was a group with a set of ideals that rejected the way society was ran. Those in power were corrupt, they held too much control and many suffered at their hands. Everyone loved them but they were poison, they couldn’t see how evil they were. How unworthy they were of their positions in both life and in people’s hearts. So his group expanded, and soon a war began. A struggle for power to be at the top. A lot of innocent blood was spilled by his hands, but it was unavoidable. Many at the top had fallen. The league took control of several territories and their numbers continued to grow. Dabi was at the top. Powerful, feared, and respected by his men. He instructed them on how to create his tomb. A way to cheat the afterlife, being his own judge.

His final battle, he faced his brother and father. At first they didn’t even recognize him. He said they were shocked that he was alive, to see what he had become. Dabi took the life of his father, finally getting his revenge, before his brother killed him.

The story itself left you speechless. It sounded like a large battle, but you’d never heard anything about it. It wasn’t mentioned anywhere, and you wondered why.

The night he finished telling you that story, you had cried for him and held him. He led you to bed but sleep never came to you.

__________________________________________

It was the morning, three days before you had to return back to your world. You had slept peacefully with Dabi’s warmth protecting you from the cold night.

Dabi’s skin against yours felt good, and you knew when you left that you would miss it, so you allowed yourself to let go. The thoughts of wearing a tunic to bed long gone from your mind.

As you came out of your dreams, the first thing you noticed was the weight on your chest.

Your eyes slowly opened to find Dabi with his face resting between your breasts, and the rest of his body between your legs. He snored lightly, and his hair stuck up wildly. You smiled and ran your hand through his hair, and he grunted while he lightly bit the skin of your breast.

His head twisted up to look at you, a tired smile stretching across his face. You rolled your eyes at his antics but grinned back.

He lifted himself over you, leaning his head down to place a kiss between your breasts and then dragged his lips up to your collar bone, grazing his teeth against it.

You bit your lip as your breath shuddered out in surprise.

He crawled forward over you, then reached a hand back to grip your thigh and pull them further apart so that he could settle between them, flush against you.

You could feel how hard he was, his member pushed to lay between your lips. His hips lazily rocked, dragging the head of his cock against your clit slowly. You let out a moan as your hips lifted, adding a pleasurable pressure.

His lips kissed along your neck, biting and sucking as he went. One of his arms was bent by your head to brace himself, the other hand traveled, squeezing your breasts and pinching your nipples.

“Do you want this?” His husky voice asked against your skin.

Your mind stopped for a moment. You considered the words of the old woman at the river and Dabi’s admission of his past deeds. Dabi had spent his life being hated and feared, and he carried it with him even in death. There was a part of you that was afraid, knowing if you let him have you now, he would likely have you forever, even when you parted ways for good. He would leave his mark on you, an imprint burned into you that you would never be rid of. You had considered that in all of the fear, no one had ever really known Dabi. He had bared his soul to you. Allowed himself to be vulnerable. You didn’t know what you felt, but you knew that whatever it was, it consumed your entire being. Did you want this?

“Yes.” You answered back with a breathy moan.

He pulled his head up to look at you, as if he was searching for a lie. His eyes were clouded with lust. He leaned forward, his lips brushing against yours softly.

“Are you sure?” He spoke against them.

“Yes, please...I want you.” You said, your voice barely a whisper. You pressed your lips against his, catching his bottom lip between yours and sliding your tongue across it. You rocked your hips against his with force, causing a groan to leave him.

He pulled back, just for a second as his eyes bore into yours, and then his lips were on yours once more. The kiss was messy and passionate. His teeth nipped at your lips and his tongue explored every crevice in your mouth. His hand left your breast and he grabbed himself, rubbing the tip through your folds to lubricate it. He brought it up and rubbed it forcefully against your clit, drawing loud moans from you as your hips bucked against him.

He pulled his lips from yours and let his mouth settle at your breast, his lips ghosting across the skin. His eyes were vibrant as his tongue peeked out, gently tracing across your hardened nipple.

He switched between both of your breasts, sucking on your skin and leaving hickeys as he went. His teeth bit and pulled at your nipples roughly, and the head of his cock rubbed faster against you. You cried out, the pleasure overwhelming. Your head was thrown back with your eyes closed. You could feel the heat pooling in your stomach, your arousal at its peak.

Your hands wrapped around Dabi, one in his hair to press him against your breast, the other wrapped around his upper arm, your hand squeezing with every wave of pleasure.

He shifted his hips, allowing his tip to rub against your entrance. He pushed just the head inside and then moved his hand up to rub your clit quickly. His hips rocked, his tip sliding in and out of you at a slow pace.

You pushed your hips forward, desperate for him to fill you. To feel him deep inside of you.

“So eager, so wet for me.” He mused, as he pulled his face back up to face yours. His hand pulled away from your clit and he held it in front of you, fingers glistening.

“You’ll be good for me right?” He whispered, his eyes dark. You supposed you should be worried by the look he was giving you, but you only found yourself more aroused.

You nodded, your glossy eyes watching him.

“I’ll be good.” You moaned out, feeling him press himself a little deeper inside of you.

His grin was twisted as he put his fingers to your lips, rubbing your wetness against them. You opened your mouth and he pressed them inside. Your tongue slid over and in between them, sucking as you went. Dabi pressed them farther into your mouth while thrusting deeper in your pussy.

You moaned around his fingers and felt yourself clenching harder on his dick. He bit his lip and sheathed himself fully inside you, holding himself there as his fingers pushed deeper in your throat. You gagged as they pressed into the back of your tongue. Your eyes burning with tears.

His eyes watched you like a hawk, his lips still pulled into a devilish grin.

He started to grind his hips against you while we was bottomed out, and his fingers pushed again, dipping to the back of your throat. Your hips jerked against him as you gagged, and finally his fingers retreated.

When just the tips of his index and middle finger remained between your teeth, he spread them, whispering for you to keep your mouth open.

You complied eagerly as his hips pulled back and slammed into you.

“That’s it, baby. Stick your tongue out for me.” He said, his breathing heavy and his voice low.

You stuck your tongue out, leaving it there as his hips snapped harder and faster against you. Your moans grew louder, and then he was pinching and twisting your nipple, making your back arch off of the mattress. He leaned closer, his mouth hovering just above yours. He gripped your tongue between his teeth, biting and dragging his teeth along it.

He pulled back, releasing your tongue and spit in your mouth.

If your mind wasn’t so consumed by lust, you’d have been disgusted, but with him buried inside of you, all you could do was whimper. You felt yourself tighten against him and he grunted.

“You like that huh?” He said as he pulled your hips higher, tilting them so he could reach even deeper inside of you.

You left your tongue out and mouth open, nodding to his question as his spit was still sliding down your tongue.

He reached down as he rubbed your clit again, making you whine. He told you to swallow as his hand gripped your throat tightly.

“Fuck, that’s my girl.” He said as he kissed you.

You were in heaven, and the thought of staying in the afterlife with him resurfaced in your mind.

He pulled himself from you and you shivered at both the feeling of being empty, and the cool morning air now caressing you.

He stood on the mattress, his legs parted.

“Get on your knees.” He ordered, and you were quick to comply. His foot parted your legs to spread them further.

“Touch yourself” he said as he wrapped his hand in your hair, pulling you to his cock.

Your fingers parted your lips and rubbed your clit, trying to do it the same as he had. Nothing had ever felt as good as him. You opened your mouth and he pushed his length in.

Your tongue slid against him, and you closed your lips around him, tasting yourself on his skin.

His grip in your hair tightened as he forced your head still, and then he began thrusting into your mouth. His pace picked up, and he pushed himself deeper. You gagged around him, your throat burning. Drool dripped from your lips onto your chest as you were unable to swallow, and tears fell from your eyes.

“Look at you, so pretty with my cock down your throat.”

Your fingers moved faster against yourself and you moaned around him, making him throw his head back. He pushed himself deep into your throat and held himself there, your nose resting in his public hair.

He pulled out abruptly and shoved you backward. He walked to stand above your head, facing the length of your body that was now flat against the mattress, and then he lowered himself, his knees resting above your shoulders as he kneeled over you.

His hips lowered and you tilted your head back to take him into your mouth again.

Your legs parted farther as you fingered yourself. He watched you, rubbing his hands along your sides as he thrust harder and deeper into your mouth.

His sack rested your nose as he buried himself in your throat, cutting off your air supply. His hands went back to your breasts and he ground his hips into your face.

He pulled back and you gasped for breath before he did it again. You sucked and licked his length, your hips lifting and legs trembling as your climax neared.

He leaned forward, ripping your hand from yourself and you whined around him. He pressed harder against your mouth, moving his hips again, as you sucked in air.

Your arms wrapped around his thighs, bracing yourself. His body leaned forward, his mouth dipping to your sex, licking and sucking your clit. He was rough, but it felt so good. His teeth gripped your clit. It was almost painful, but the pleasure outweighed it and was sending you over the edge.

Your grip on his hips tightened as you pulled him deep into your throat again. His hips rocked without pulling back, and you felt your lungs begging for air while your vision was starting to waver. His hand slapped against your cunt as you cried out around him, and then with one final harsh suck on your clit, you were gone.

If it wasn’t for him restricting your airway, you would have screamed from the intensity of your orgasm.

He pulled himself up, and you gasped for breath, your limbs twitching.

He grabbed you and flipped you onto your stomach, then grabbed your hips, lifting your ass in the air. Your upper half was flat to the mattress, no energy to hold yourself up.

“You want me to fuck you?” He asked, rubbing his tip at your entrance.

“Yes!” You moaned, pushing your hips back, getting a hard slap on your ass in return.

“You want me to cum in you?”

He pushed his tip in and out, teasing you as you moaned out another yes.

“Beg me for it.” You could hear the grin in his voice at the demand. And so you did. You pleaded for him desperately.

He rammed his length into you, bottoming out. His thrusts were fast and hard. His grip on your hips was bruising as he pulled them back to meet every thrust. You could tell from the tremble in his hands and his labored breathing that he was close.

His thrusts got sloppy and his rhythm was broken. He pulled you against him and you started to grind subconsciously as he released, filling you.

He held still for a moment, then pulled himself out. You fell flat onto the bed, feeling his cum leak out of you as he fell to lay at your side, his arm draped over you as he caught his breath.

You tried to keep your eyes open, to stay awake for just a little longer, but the exhaustion and warmth from his body broke any resistance you had, and within moments you had fallen asleep. Dabi looked over your sleeping form, a gentle smile on his face. He leaned over to place a kiss on your forehead, and then laid back and allowed himself to dream as well.

[aplaceforthesoul]

Anonymous submitted:

uni and stuff.

Hello. I hope you reply. What’s your advice for all the people who is at a part of their lives where they don’t know where to take a leap towards somethong, whether they should take that step, if it’s worth it. When dhould they know that they should take the risks and do what it takes, at the same time, keeping in mind that not because they will take that risk, doesn’t mean that it will all be good from then on; - knowing that they’ll probably start from scratch, which isn’t a big thing anymore, since they’ve detoured already, traveled the other side of the road…at the same time being realistic and practical about this situation…work. etc. to survive. 

What if they just need to find out whether that path they wanna take, for years, for so long, is for them, bearing in mind that it might not be — but better say, (from a video i once watched) “oh well” than ’“what ifs forever’.? I just don’t know what to do. Maybe some will think that, I’m still young and i have a long time. But for lack of better word, i don’t have the luxury of time. Gosh. I just want to forget all the times, until just this moment, all the times I’ve thought that why cant my parents helo me rather than, dictating me what to do. Im starting to have these evil thoughts: during my time, they werent even this supportive and they dont event agree so easily. (and the thought that maybe becaude i am a girl always pisses me off, but i dont think it is the reason) eversince my second or third year of highschool, ive dreant of studying another course. For me education is a big deal. Thats why until now, i am so sensitive when it comes to this topic. Before, i out so much effort, although lacking - because i havent had honors or awards since third grade. (grade 1-6 is primary, 1st-4th year is highschool) gosh. And my mind is now starting to have these thoughts. How its so unfair. Before i wanted to go to a concert, as a graduation and birthday gift in combined, and i asked. And my aunt just said that there were way too many people at the line. And i felt sad. And of course there were going to be so much people. During college applications, i wanted to go to this certain university in our province, i didnt even dream of going to a university in another region, hours and hours away, — because i know they wouldn’t let me, and i don’t think i can —or maybe i just thought of that because they havent really discussed with me about my college plans. I just sort of just applied and all. And i got accepted to that school i wanted to go to, because it has the program i wanna study. I even was qualified to be interviewed for scholarshio. And i submitted my papers. And my father even went with me. Then my documents was sent to the school. Day of the interview, i wasnt able to, i didnt go. I dont know which one honestly. I wasnt prepared, and there something i did that day, and maybe in my heart i felt that my parents didnt want me to study there. I honestly think up to that day is the reason, why i wasnt even able to tour that uni, to even step foot and see what my uni for the next four years would be. Gosh. This is all so childish. I even remember telling my classmate that id try out for the scholarship, and she even told me to live in the dorm where they would be staying at… Four years later, shes graduating in that courae i also want and here i am, trying to accept, everytime, sometimes, i still would cry. For the most part, ive tried not to regret anythinf. But im in my fourth year now. And i realized that i wouldve dropped everything if only my parents helped me and showed me that they support me, that they also want what i want. I even wanted to shift to my second choice (i got accepted for my first choice) and they didnt allow me. Maybe if they did, i wouldnt have regret it so much. That at least its one of my top choices to study. God. And now. I feel like they just support my siblings. Gosh. I wonder if all those years, i looked sincere whenever i say i want to study another course. (im sorry this is all so confusing.) if they wouldve told me that they will lend me college money, and id have to pay it back after graduation, jist to study the course i really want, i wouldve. If only it was a year earlier, that the new course in my current uni, was introduced, i wouldve dropped everything, even if im in my fourth year, id rather spend another 3 years, studying what i want than graduate next year. I dont ever see myself working for this field, this course, because all these years, ive realized, my motivation was to study the course i want after i finish this course, which im currently studying. At the first half, yes, ive thought of transferring. We asked for details and such. It just didnt work. Its what i want right now. So bad. Its what i need. I never have ever joined competitions exceot maybe until my early years of pirmary school. Never joined competitions or contests that they need to support me in, why cant they just support me. And with all that they say, just based on the things they say, i think its a blurry, unclear chance that id be able to study it. Just now, she said to me ‘ah, too bad, your sibling wasnt able to reach the required grade for *thiscourse i like that sibli ng chose as second choice* I WONDER IF ITS POSSIBLE TO TRANSFER THERE. ’ i then said its what i want. (to study that course) this last part, really, really, ticked me off. When it was my time, they were set on not letting me choose that course. I know i did well. I did my best. Did they not see that. They couldve just supported me. Told me the truth. I hate all the false truths they say. Almost nothing reactions. Heck. I wish these were all just a dream. 

(its totally fine for me if you guys post this, (like make a post and then write your reply, if thats not too much, so others can read this too) it’s a long shot but i hopee this reaches you guys. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your help. Always. Reading your repsonses also helps me with similar problems i encounter, since 2013 i think. Thank you thank you

hi there <3 that’s a lot to think and feel all at once!

in short? I think the best way you know whether to take a leap or not, is to make sure that you’re making an informed decision. write down a pro / con list! write down all the reasons why you want to take this leap and all the good things that could happen, but also write down some of the risks and negative things that could possibly result in you making this decision too. 

writing down the list of “cons” or negative things that could happen isn’t to scare you! it’s to encourage you to use your critical thinking skills, it’s to encourage you to problem solve :) so take me for example, I made the massive leap to move to the other side of the world to live in London! and for a long time I was unsure about my goal, I wasn’t sure how I could make it happen, there were risks involved and a lot that could go wrong. so I wrote a pro / con list: I wrote down all the things I thought would be a good thing about me moving, I wrote down some of the risks involved in making this decision, and I took it one step further and wrote down some possible solutions to those risks (should they ever occur). and in doing that? it made me a lot more sure and confident about my goal in moving to London, and I was able to make a choice and say yes, I’m going to do this, this can happen. 

people sometimes underestimate pro / con lists? but I really think it’s such a good way to untangle confusing thoughts and to encourage critical thinking and problem solving, it makes it a lot easier when it’s laid out on paper in front of you. and if other people doubt you, like your parents? do it anyway! if you’ve done a lot of thinking about this goal and you want to take a leap and you’re informed about the risks, then it’s you who gets to make the decision about things. sometimes people are never going support you because they don’t have that desire for that particular goal and it makes it harder for them to believe in it, but that’s ok. if you want to take a leap and if you have goals that you want to achieve, then set out a step-by-step plan of how to get there and don’t let anyone get in your way. take care xxx

- tash

[realtalk-tj]

hi, question about college. i want to go oos really badly. reasons: (1) issues with lots of nova/tj people and want fresh start (2) physically/emotionally abusive parents. if i go oos, then i can move to a different city in the future and not have to come back to the nova-dc-arlington area. parents have $$ but unwilling to pay, dont qual for fafsa. they want to send me to gmu, thats all they gonna pay for. what options do i have?i wanna attend a 40k school oos. i turn18 after college starts.help

Response From Fleur:

Hey there! Congrats on getting yourself to nearly the end of TJ :D I remember when I was a freshman I couldn’t imagine possibly making it that far!

Unless you are 1000% dead sure you will not qualify for any help from the government or from your school (like if your parents are millionaires) fill out the fafsa! I didn’t think I would qualify for financial aid but I got a good deal of it from my college. Like we’re talking thousands of dollars. EVEN if a school is going to offer you $1,000 in grant money, that’s a serious amount to try and make on your own as a college student. Everything helps. 

Also, scholarships! Definitely look for scholarship opportunities. You can also talk to the people in the school’s college and career center about your financial situation and what you can do. When I was at TJ, I found out that Ms. Kropf (think that’s how it’s spelled) was super knowledgeable about college admissions and finding ways to pay for college. Don’t be shy, totally use that mentoring to help yourself. 

Here’s the case for George Mason:

If you can go to a school with all sorts of awesome opportunities like GMU (my friends love it there! one is gonna be an astrophysicist) and your parents are going to PAY FOR THE ENTIRE THING, why the heck not? :D GMU is like $15,000 a year or something when you’re commuting and you add all the costs up. $15,000

How to go to college when you have physically and emotionally abusive parents:

You deserve better. I don’t know anything about your situation, so here’s some information that may or may not apply.

1. Trying to get yourself independent as soon as you’re able is great because it will free you from them. I’ve seen a trend where abusive parents will find other ways to mistreat their children as they age, mainly by holding them hostage financially, to the point where the children wonder if it’s better to throw their physical and/or emotional safety out the window instead of moving out.

2. It is normal for some children to still love their parents and want to continue to live with them, even if they are abusive. Some of these children want to get help for their family by contacting the local agencies that exist to help protect children from neglect or abuse. Some don’t. That’s all normal. I’m not sure how much danger you are in, but please take precautions to keep yourself safe. Regardless of whether you intend to continue to live with your parents and not get help for the abuse, continue to live with them and get them and you help for the abuse, or find a way to leave home and live with a friend, relative, or on your own (there is tons of free housing help you can find for young people in your types of situation on auntbertha.com and 211.com), there are things you can do to help yourself through this.

3. If you want to report the abuse, you can. No one should have to live with this in silence and without support. You can google exactly how to do this and what it would entail and how it could benefit you. I know there can be a lot of factors that keep people in an abusive situation and if that’s your plan, then GMU is a great option :) 

4. If you want to report the abuse or talk about it with someone, but you’re afraid, you can do some Googling to see how valid these fears and what the ways to work around them are. If you’re in an unsafe situation and you end up getting your family help from child protective services and you end up temporarily getting placed in foster care with a relative or friend or someone you don’t know, that isn’t the end of college opportunities. From my understanding, you would then qualify for independent student status and that means you can fill out the fafsa and instead of putting your parents income on it, you only put yours. So if you’re not making a ton of money yourself, you’re going to be eligible for a lot of financial aid at certain colleges (Google these). So if you’re afraid to tell people because you’re afraid that you won’t be able to attend college or get healthcare or basic necessities if you spent time getting help from CPS before your 18th birthday, there are ways to get yourself where you want to be if you look. I know people who have done it and are better off for it. 

5. There is help out there for young people facing abuse. I hope you’ve got support from someone now. And if you don’t have support from someone yet, I hope you find it because you deserve support and compassion as you try to heal emotionally from what you have faced

6. NO ONE deserves abuse. You are worthy of love and support.

7. Please tell someone. No one should have to go through this alone.

8. You are strong. You are resilient. You can do this. You can get through college and find a way to live independently whether or not you end up trying to get help for the abuse (please do

I’ll be thinking of you and I’m wishing you the best. Please reach out to us if you could use support. You can message us privately as well. 

Something I wish more TJ students would know: 

Even if you don’t go to a 4-year college right away and transfer from NOVA, remember that NOVA represents opportunity. If you transfer, the 4 year school is what is on your diploma. Colleges like NOVA and GMU are NOT a downfall but rather an opportunity that will get you places in life. It drives me nuts when TJ students are disappointed when presented with such opportunity and don’t feel proud of themselves. You’re going to do great and I’m super duper happy for you that you’re going to get to see how AWESOME life outside of TJ can be soon :) Going to a $40,000 school does not mean your experience is going to be better. You do what you can do with the means you have. Education is a way to work toward the goals I assume you have. Whether you want to be a nurse or a cybersecurity expert, or a music teacher, NOVA has paths. 

[studylifeusa]

Clara Degez from France is studying for her Associate in Art Transfer Degree at Edmonds Community College in Edmonds, Washington.

Why did you decide to study in the USA?

I decided to study in the USA to improve my English, being aware that mastering this language is now essential in a world more and more interconnected. I also went here since at the end of high school I was really undecided about what I wanted to study.

Why did you choose Edmonds Community College?

I chose Edmonds Community College because I came with a French organization, called ISPA, that offers different destinations in the USA and Seattle was one of them. I chose this particular college among the others because I know other French who used to study there and that have been greatly satisfied by their experience. Washington state also seemed appealing to me due to its really natural and ecological environment, a really important characteristic for me since I may be interested in studying ecology.

What do you like best?

What I like most is the relationship between students and teachers. Indeed, I view their interaction as pretty friendly and informal compared with France, which creates a nice studying environment less stressful.

What do you miss most?

I believe what I miss most is of course my family and my friends.

What was your biggest surprise?

My biggest surprise may have been the relationship between people in general more friendly, outgoing but also less judgmental. Education is freer in all aspects, since here students can choose their classes and have a closer relationship with their teachers.

... your biggest disappointment?

My biggest disappointment may be the cost of education here. Before coming to this country, I knew college education was expensive but I did not expect all the other costs, like buying books for example.

How have you handled: ... language differences?

At first, I had some difficulties speaking more than anything else, which has become easier and easier as the time went by, even if it is still hard sometimes.

... finances?

My parents are paying for my studies and I don’t have any loan. I received a scholarship

this quarter which covers only a very small part of the total cost, but it still helps and is very appreciated.

... adjusting to a different educational system?

I had a hard time during the first weeks due to this new educational system. I did not really know what to expect from the way the teachers grade students’ work. I discovered it was pretty different from the French way, since teachers are not as picky and try to grade more the understanding of a concept in a global way than the details, more to see the effort put into the work than the actual result.

What are your activities?

I am also really concerned about animal rights and I sometimes go to Seattle for some vegan demonstrations. In the college, I am part of a club called “Bridges” in which students, mostly international, spend time together for discussions or games. I am also in the running club.

How easy or difficult was making friends?

I found at first that it was really easy to make friends in this country, people being less judgmental, more outgoing and open-minded. Then, I also had some doubts about the sincerity of the friendships I had built, finding them somehow too superficial. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that American people are too superficial (most of my friends are international anyway), but that building friendship in a foreign language is harder.

How relevant is your U.S. education to your personal goals and to the needs of your country?

I would like to work in the field of ecology, even though I don’t know exactly in what extent since it is a really broad discipline. The environmental issue represents for me the number one issue on this planet, and English being the most international language, I assume that to deal with a worldwide issue, mastering a world language is a real asset.

What is your advice to other students who are considering a U.S. education?

I advise other students from France to go to the U.S. if they have the chance to do so, not to be shy about speaking a bad English but to reach out to others as soon as possible and finally not to stay only with other French students.

For more information:  Edmonds Community College

[eclecticdivination]

pt 2 RO - and i cant afford to be unemployed coz my mom has many payables in her credit card and am the only one she can rely on in terms of paying debts. i have an aunt from cyprus but she stopped remitting money to us as she is saving money for italy. we also have a farm but before we earn money we should spend first on fertilizers, workerks, etc. Am so sorry if i sound ranting to you. you're the only person i could think of that i can confide to. am an only child and no bestfriend/s

pt 3 RO - i cant tell this to my mom coz i do not want to be additional burden to her. what should i do? i hope i can go to your place and speak with you in person. do i really got a “no” from the org. i applied to? i called the HR last week and she said i passed the exam, she told me to wait for the sched of the interview as they are still finalizing tge schedules. my only hope to get accepted by this agency so that i can start a new career.

pt 4 RO - with my eagerness to leave my current office now, i rejected the scholarship grant to japan by this agency. if i accepted this grant, accdg to the contract, i should return to my home country and render 4 year of service, which i cant do anymore as i really desperately wanted to leave T_T why is this happening to me? why do i have to go through this problem?another thing i wanted to do is volunteering.

pt 5 RO-i wanted to be a UN volunter. but i dont know if my application will be a success or if this is part of god’s plan for me. i realized what i really wanted to do when i was chosen as liaison officer during the Philippine hosting of ASEAN meetings last september – i wanted to do things that will have an immediate impact to other people’s lives.

pt 6 RO- i no longer want the kind of job doing paper works, enclosed in 4 corners of my office cubicle. i want to reach, speak and engage with people and see tge provlem from tgeir perspective, and try to resolve them with their help. i hope i have parents who are supportive of what i want to do with my life.

pt 8 RO - i know i flooded your inbox but any advice from you would be great to hear. thanks so much for the time reading my messages. do you think i can make all my dreams (eg, studying abroad, working as UN volunteer, living and working overseas, getting accepted by the agency i applied to) a reality? will my mom’s financial debt be all paid?

Hey RO, I didn’t get part 1 or 7, so I’m just going to respond to what I’ve received.

Your mother knows you better than I do, so it would probably help you a great deal to talk to her. I know you don’t want to. But I don’t think she would want you to go through this. Maybe she has some insight or ideas. I was in a similar situation with my mother and her bills, and it helped a great deal to talk to her about my stress and struggles with helping her pay her bills. She understood and obviously didn’t want me to feel burdened, but talking to her released a lot of stress. 

I didn’t say that it was a “no” to the place you applied to. I asked the pendulum if you would get positive feedback, meaning is this a good fit for you, will you flourish and be happy in this workplace - and the answer was no. 

“why is this happening to me? why do i have to go through this problem?another thing i wanted to do is volunteering.”

God (or the universe, goddess, or whatever deity you believe in or pray to) will never give you more than you can handle. I can relate, I’ve gone through a lot of dark times and struggles in my life, but I kept reminding myself there is a reason for everything. There are lessons that I must learn, things that must happen in order for me to become the person I am supposed to be. I think this is something you need to remind yourself also. 

You and I are definitely cut from the same cloth in regards to dreams & ambitions. I get the burning feeling that I’m meant for something more. Office work and 9-5 just isn’t for me. I want to help people, get out and make an impact, bring the necessary change and just be a force of good in peoples lives. So I get that. Definitely do some charity work. I think the key here is to balance things. You can still work and give back to the community/world, you just need to find a way to keep a healthy balance. The more charitable work you do, the more people you can meet who will most likely help you reach your philanthropic goals and potential.

I will update this post later with answers to the question in part 8. 

Sorry, I meant to update this post last night but time got away from me.

You certainly have the drive for it, but it takes more than that to make a big change. The door won’t open if you just sit around waiting for it. I hate to give people negative messages.. I’m so sorry but no, it doesn’t appear that your mother’s financial debt will be all paid. There is a great potential to work as a UN volunteer, the pendulum said yes to that. But it doesn’t look like this will be a permanent living situation because when I asked if you will live abroad permanently and then answer was no. So you will go back to your home country and live there for some reason. 

I also pulled a few cards for your situation and they confirmed the pendulum. Ace of Swords reversed and 5 of Pentacles for family finances, 6 of Swords and Wheel of Fortune reversed for travel. It’s weird because I don’t usually get reversals too often but when it comes out that way, it’s important. The Ace reversed when it comes to money is that someone is spending too much or not getting enough. There’s no balance. 5 of Pentacles is about not receiving everything you need. Being left out in the cold, assistance is denied. This could be an abandoned investment too. Maybe you’re not funding someone or they’re not funding you. It could be a situation where someone is forced to make it on their own. They need to step up and be their own support. Either way, it’s not the best card to get for finances. The Wheel reversed could mean a lot of bumps in the road, your luck changes or you go on a different path but it’s not what you expected it to be so you bail. I recommend not making huge decisions. The 6 of Swords indicates leaving, going on a journey. But with that wheel, it doesn’t look like it’s a permanent change. 

Sorry that I couldn’t give you the answers you were hoping for.

[viralhottopics]

Dear White, Christian Trump Supporters: We Need To Talk

Plenty of pundits keep telling us progressives that we didnt listen to them in the heartland to you of the white working class, to you of conservative Christianity.

Actually, I grew up as one of you. Ive listened to you my whole life, but I dont think I know how to understand you at all.

I suppose now youd consider me part of the so-called liberal elite. Im a west coast university professor with a Ph.D. and almost 30 years of teaching experience. But Im the daughter of a Southern Baptist, working-class pipe fitter at a paper mill in a small, conservative town in northwest Georgia.

My parents did not go to college (my father finally earned a degree after hed retired from the paper mill). Only one of my four grandparents finished high school. I studied hard, got a scholarship, kept studying, kept working, and I moved into the white collar middle class.

My white conservative Christian upbringing had told me that was the American Dream to work hard and succeed. I did, and I feel youre holding it against me now that I no longer share your views. I think you must imagine the liberal elite as East Coast, Ivy League-educated, trust fund babies completely out of touch with how most people live.

Sure, some faculty members grew up with money. Some went to Ivy League schools. But a lot of us professors were you working class kids who did whatever it took to get a college education. Along the way, a lot of us developed progressive ideas, not out of our privilege, but out of our own experiences of discrimination, struggle, and oppression.

We read and argued and wrote and rewrote. We got peer-reviewed, over and over and over. Our ideas are held to incredibly high, rigorous standards, and so, when we speak we do so carefully, thoughtfully, with nuance, and with openness because sometimes we are also wrong. But because weve studied hard and held ourselves up to professional standards, we really do know a lot about what were talking about, and we have something to offer in a real conversation across our differences (including the East Coast Ivy Leaguers who arent as out of touch as you may think). But I dont think you want to hear us or me.

You tell me I need to get over Trumps election and stop being a sore loser. But politics is not a sport. We dont choose teams and simply cheer ours on to victory. My beloved Atlanta Falcons lost the Super Bowl, and, painful though that was, I will get over it. It hurts, but I wont protest, march, write letters, or otherwise resist the outcome, even if we discover New Englands balls were deflated. Its a game, but its not life or death.

This election, however, is exactly that. Perhaps you can tell me to get over it because you do not have to worry that Trump will appoint a Supreme Court justice that could play a role in invalidating your marriage. If Congress passes and Trump signs the First Amendment Defense Act, you probably wont have to worry that a bakery, restaurant, or hotel might legally deny you service. You dont have to worry about being stranded at an airport and refused admission to the U.S. because of the country youre from or the religion you practice. You dont have to worry about having your family divided across the world with a simple signature on an executive order.

You say you are aggrieved because you have not achieved what you think you deserve or you think some less deserving other has taken it. Despite having moved into the middle class, I have spent my career teaching about and advocating for labor unions, a living wage, affordable childcare, social security, affordable healthcare, accessible higher education. Progressives are actually the ones who support the economic programs and policies that could make a difference for the working class.

You have a right to be aggrieved, but I fear you are targeting the wrong people. Low paying jobs, job insecurity, companies moving work overseas, low benefits, little vacation these are the results of decades of policies that benefit the truly wealthy those whose wealth depends not on the labor of their hands but on their ability to exploit the production of poorly paid laborers. The problem is not that immigrants have taken your jobs or drained money from the safety net. The problem is that the system of wealth sets workers against one another so they do not target the real economic power that limits their work and financial security.

You say you want progressives to listen to you. Then prioritize truth. This election was filled with fake news, shared widely on Facebook, and this administration already has begun to create a language of alternative facts to misinform and mislead. If you want to talk, offer evidence, real evidence based on verifiable data and reliable sources, not wishful imaginings or fabricated Breitbart stories. An internet meme is not an informed and legitimate point of argument that facilitates dialogue. Weve reached a point where youd rather believe an overt lie if it supports a belief you already hold than pursue the truth if it might challenge your currently held belief.

The Bible tells us God is a God of truth and the truth will set us free. Yet you chose someone who lies with impunity. I want to understand how you choose to ignore the evidence that is right in front of your eyes photos of the crowds at two different inaugurations, for example. How do you accept what is proven to be a lie? How do you support someone who, rather than correct the record, doubles down on his lies?

Especially, how do you do this in the name of the God of truth? Before the election I saw one of you whod written as an evangelical Christian in support of Trump that God can use anyone. So help me understand why you thought God could use a man whod said hed never asked God for forgiveness, who serially committed adultery, who said he could grab women by the genitals, who cheated contractors and workers, but you didnt think God could use a woman who is a Christian, a lifelong Methodist and who, from the heart, quotes the Bible and John Wesley (when Trump didnt even know how to say Second Corinthians, which he called Two Corinthians, and when asked for his favorite Bible verse struggled to name one until he landed on an eye for an eye. And you know what Jesus said about that one).

I know youve been offended that progressives have called you racist for voting for Trump. I understand that. You dont see yourself as racist. But you did knowingly vote for someone who insulted Latinos, Blacks, Muslims, and Jews. And women. And LGBTQ people. And people with disabilities. Help me understand how that squares with the notion of Gods love for all people.

Can you really imagine Jesus using the words Trump did about these groups of people? How would you characterize voting for someone who is overtly racist? Help me understand how you align your Christian perspective with his racism, misogyny, homophobia, Islamophobia, and antisemitism.

Im afraid that what you want is a nation that conforms to your interpretation of the Bible. Thats where we really run into trouble because that would require you to force your particular conservative Christian beliefs on everyone else. I dont understand how people who want to claim religious liberty for themselves are so unwilling to give it to everyone, which is actually the premise of true religious liberty.

You say you want a Christian nation, but our founders were clear that was never their goal. In fact, the Constitution goes to great lengths to protect the government from religion and religion from government. I also get the sense that you think people are not Christians if they arent Christian in the same way as you. But cant we find some common ground? Cant we agree that all people should be free to practice their religion or practice no religion and should be safe from coercion based on religion? Cant we agree that we share values of love, kindness, respect, and community and then try to live those with each other? Do you really think a Christian, especially a biblical literalist, can want a wall built?

The Bible is clear about how we are to treat foreigners among us no matter how they got here. What if the Egyptians had built a wall before Mary and Joseph fled from King Herod? Our Christian story starts with a refugee family. Can we not practice our shared Christian values with immigrants and refugees coming to our country?

Cant we find common ground on issues like, say, abortion? I think we could have a common goal of lowering abortion rates. After all, you will never end abortions. Maybe you can end the safe, legal ones, but, one way or another, women will still have abortions. They will just be more likely to die from them.

And heres where I think dealing with facts is crucial to find common ground. We know that abortion rates are lower worldwide when there is no global gag order. We also know that what is most successful in lowering abortion rates is access to contraception, accurate sex education, and personal and economic empowerment for women.

To cling to overturning Roe v. Wade as the only way to end abortions is a fantasy based on ideology rather than medical science and social science, and it flies in the face of the evidence for what is successful. So the real question is are you more interested in actual effectiveness in lowering abortion rates or ideological purity? We can lower abortion rates together but not by denying women choices over their own bodies. We can be effective together by listening to the data and working together to ensure all women have access to contraception, education, and social and economic resources. Are you willing to have that conversation?

Ive heard some of you say that well just have to agree to disagree, but thats a problem. You see, were not talking about ideas here. Were talking about actual human lives. If we were talking about predestination or modes of baptism or premillennialism, Id say, sure, lets agree to disagree. The stakes are pretty low. But if were talking about the rights of people to access housing, clean water and air, and healthy food or the possibility of a nuclear arms race or discrimination written into law or women losing basic life-saving health screenings, or young black men being incarcerated disproportionately, or Native peoples having their sacred sites desecrated and their water poisoned, or Muslim people being targeted for their faith, then the stakes are much higher, and I cannot simply agree to disagree.

Thats why Im writing you now. We need to talk, and I dont know how to talk to you anymore. I need to know, is it more important to you to win than to do good? Or can we build coalitions? Listen to science? Rely on real evidence? Be effective? Put the needs and rights of all others above ideologies? Can we live the love of God we claim? You want me to hear and understand you. I get that. I also want you to hear and understand the rest of the world that is not you or your kind. Because they too are Gods people and therefore are in the circle of those whom we must love. You taught me that when I was a child. If we can agree on that now, we have a place to start.

.

Read more: http://huff.to/2lF3xqK

from Dear White, Christian Trump Supporters: We Need To Talk