"We will kick them in the shins then they will have to give you money."

"Either that or they will throw us in jail." Great

Friday's are still days to be on campus but now the purpose for being on campus on Fridays are a bit different for the past two weeks I have been battling the great fortress known as financial aid. Ok, so it really has been longer than that, but the search for money has been kicked into high gear recently. At the beginning of the semester I went to talk to the student attorney in Knight Hall, no real luck there except we found out that there are in fact exceptions to the rule only to be granted by the Dean of Financial Aid at the school. So I gather up my tax return from this year that clearly states I file as an independent, and my parents don't claim me, think that would be enough? Nope, Financial Aid tells me that first of all they only file probably 4 appeals for independent status a year, and secondly I have to be in an extenuating circumstance; such as proving with documentation physical or mental abuse, or basically the parents have to be in jail. Next step: look into emancipation, I fully qualify for it and the easiest way to get that done would be to ask both of parents just to sign the forms basically..... Right....asking my mom for emancipation this one is going to be easy, she had an emotional breakdown over the phone, and asked me why I hated her, didn't love her, and why I was trying to destroy the family. I didn't know how to respond, and I don't have the heart to hang up on her so when she was done I said goodbye and haven't brought it up since. But that is ok I found later that night by doing some research emancipation does not guarantee independent status anyways.

"For example, a child does not automatically become a ward of the court upon being incarcerated. Likewise, emancipation does not make a student a ward of the court. Neither incarceration nor emancipation of the student is sufficient on its own to make the student independent.

Emancipation occurs when the child is no longer under the legal authority and control of another. This can occur when the child reaches the age of majority, marries, enters military service, is fully self-supporting or by court order. An emancipated child is legally an adult. Since a child who reaches the age of majority can still be considered a dependent for financial aid purposes (and self-supporting is insufficient grounds for independent student status ever since the Bright-Line test was abolished in 1992), emancipation by court order is no different. The Higher Education Act specifies who is considered a dependent for financial aid purposes, and does not include an exception for emancipation. (Emancipation is defined by state law, and as such cannot overrule Federal law.) So even though an emancipated child no longer receives financial support from his or her parents, the parents are still obligated to complete the FAFSA form. However, the circumstances that lead a court to grant an emancipation petition might themselves be sufficient grounds for a dependency override. (Note that some states (e.g., Colorado) may allow emancipation as an alternative to age requirements for eligibility for in-state tuition. So emancipation can have an impact on state aid, but not on federal aid.)"
http://www.finaid.org/educators/pj/wardofthecourt.phtml

So I am kinda stuck at square one, I just need to find someone to marry, have a kid, or join the military. None of those options are overly appealing though. Maybe I will follow Tessa's advice find scholarships for culinary school and do what I want to do. I am getting pressure from my dad now to get back into school, but what is he doing to help? Not much, besides thinking of quitting Shari's and moving to New Mexico.

Never mind that though on to happier things. It is true fall has official come to stay; at least until the snow comes to stay. There is something so old and wonderful when walking home at night through dead lives. The smell of damp old earth and the sweet crispness of the leaves lead you to believe on silent nights that the fairies are still out being mischievous.