Hey. So this has really been getting me down and I am just looking for some advice.

Long story short, my steady girlfriend and I were going to study abroad in Italy this spring semester. We have been talking about it for the last year. I have been moderately excited. I was more or else excited to fulfill this dream with my girlfriend who has wanted this like here entire life.

Well tonight, we started to sit down and plan our flight to Europe. This got my parents and I wondering what the other expenses of this were for the semester. Granted, we had done *some* research before we chose studying abroad, however we realized tonight that the program was going to cost around $13,000. We had originally been given a ball park of $8,000.

I have around $18,000 saved up for all of college expenses. I was planning on using this money to studying abroad, however I am not very excited about spending $13,000 on schooling. Mainly because I have been looking forward to saving this money for after college to spend and live nicely with while I work etc.

Since last semester, I have been struggling with how badly I want this Italy trip and I have almost been wanting something to show me a sign on what I should do. Today, when I read how much I was going to have to spend, I felt that that was my sign to not go because this would only leave me with $5,000 or so to pay for the rest of college. This was not going to happen. However, you can imagine the turmoil this caused my girlfriend.

I do not want to be the reason for taking this trip away from her, but on the same token if she goes without me, we will have to break up without any garuntee of reconciling after Italy. She is an amazing girl and I do not want to let her down, but I feel like we have 2 different priorities at this point in our lives. Honestly, I would like to stay here, save my money, finish college, grow some pot and start living my life. She would like to study abroad no matter what the expense. But we are both stuck because we care too much about eachother to let go.

I just don't know what to do. I technically have the money, but do I want to spend that all right now to go to Europe or should I wait it out stateside and see how it goes when she comes back?

Anyway, sorry for the long post but i was just looking for someone to talk to about it.

Peace

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I would go to Italy...money comes and goes.

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peace, love, happiness, and freedom.

girlfriends come and go - save the money

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don;t trust me when i'm baked, i make shit up. bud stud in training - at http://www.rollitup.org/grow-journal...ts-always.html and http://www.rollitup.org/grow-journal...melicious.html

I would go to Italy. It's a fantastic opportunity. Screw the money. Financial aid is cheap. You definitely DO NOT want to be trying to save money now for after college. That's putting the cart before the horse, son.

Buon Voyage!

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Grower's Bookshelf

yeah, you never know when you will get a chance to go to italy again, you should go. plus you can always find more ways to make money and save it for later.

For myself, I shan't go far abroad.
But it could be an investment for later, if it's a really good school. But if it isn't for the greatest school in the world I would go for another girlfriend.
Choose what fits you best.

hey man, if you have any chance to get away from America, i highly advice that you take it. in Europe, food is more wholesome and cheaper, and the schooling is way more advanced that the US piece of garbage educational system.

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"And those who resisted were dragged out from their homes. This necklace was fashioned out of their teeth and bones."

find a wayto make quick money like 400 or 500 a night

hey wow thanks for the responses guys. I kind of typed this post and left it. I just really wanted something/someone to rant to. Anyway, thanks for the replies guys!

I decided to pray (smoke the ganja :P) and I also came to the conclusion to study abroad with my girlfriend. She's really important to me and I think take advantage of this opportunity now is the way to go.

Like one of the other posters said, saving money AFTER college is like putting the cart before the horse. When I graduate Ill have all the opportunities to make my money back and then some.

thanks again RIUppers for listening!

peace

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