College days and loans

This is actually a picture of Troy University from my Youth Conference trip, but it works.

So, I've been thinking and praying about going back to school. I think I would love to study speech pathology or as it is called at the universities, communicative disorders. One of my favorite classes in my undergraduate studies was my linguistics class. I find language so interesting. My fear is that I would fail because my brain is too weak to remember anything anymore. Brain power is returning slowly, but can I really study and remember information? I don't know. 

Actually I couldn't study communicative disorders unless I moved closer to a university that offered that program. The University of Alabama is the closest at the moment, but way to far to commute everyday. A more realistic option to further my education and begin a career is in education. The University of North Alabama offers an Alternative 5th year teaching certification for people like me who have an undergraduate degree but decide they want to teach. I would take about 2 semesters of education courses and then student teach for a semester or so. Then I would graduate with a masters, and I could teach in Alabama schools. I could teach high school English of course, but I could also teach middle school. I think I would be happiest teaching special education however.

If I taught in our county, I could also qualify for student loan forgiveness:) That would be a huge plus considering that in the 10 years since I graduated from college I have only reduced my student loans by about 10%. On an even sadder side, I have paid lots of interest! I used to get quite depressed about this, but after a lot of prayer I have realized that I have learned a lot from student loans. I believe it's an important part of the education I received, and I hope I will avoid similar pitfalls as a result. Here is what I have learned:

-Interest can work for you or against you. 

-Interest doesn't sleep or take vacations. It keeps working.

-Credit sounds really nice, but it usually isn't.

-Learning from other people's mistakes with student loans would've been cheaper.

-Loan companies, even through the government, don't care if you are pregnant and sick and can't work to earn money to make payments.

-There is a VERY BIG difference between subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. 

-The student loans that I took out as a young, single person have a huge affect on my husband and four children. 

-I could have lived more like the broke college student that I was rather than living slightly more comfortably off of student loans.

-Even when the Lord forgives you for taking too many student loans, you have to pay them back.