Posted by kate- on February 10, 2001 at 19:19:54:
I agree with HR. If you want to happen, it will. I say this only bc if I can find the money and time, anyone can. I am a first year law student at a solid first tier school (referring to the time constraint–1st year is the hardest, time-wise). But more importantly, I have upwards of 50K in educational debt after only 1 year of law school (and undergrad) and good 20K of consumer debt to boot (and absolutely no help from family, unlike many of my fellow students whose education is completely paid for).
I don’t have a spending problem anymore, but I did. That on top of no budgeting skills did not make a pretty picture.
Suddenly, this X-mas while spending time with my 9 month old niece, I realized that there was no way I could see myself working 80+ hours a week for a firm. Especially in 5 years or so when I want to have a family of my own. However, the path that I was on required me to give myself over to the firm in order to receive the 160K salary that would necessary to sustain the life that a successful new associate in a Manhattan law firm must maintain. By that I mean education loan payment (the mortgage without a house is how we law students refer to it), rent (Manhattan!! 'nuff said), clothes, restaurants and drinks when networking, etc. It is really one of the most high priced lifestyles bc you must constantly look like a million dollars. (Lawyers are sooo into prestige!)
This I do not want since it is not conducive to building assets-- it is just simply acquiring liabilities. — per my newfound RK insight
The point is (after all of my long-winded rambling-- you’ve heard that lawyers like to talk, right?) that I called one of my credit cards (most are maxed) and requested a credit line increase as I would be making a 2K purchase soon (a little lie, but I didn’t think they’d give it to me anyway). They said they could give me 1K. So there is the trip. It will of course cost me more than $600 bc of my expensive taste in financing. But from what I have heard and read about what I am bound to learn at the convention, it will more than pay for itself this summer when I am able to put what I have learned into action.
So there’s my two cents (though it is more like four and a half).
You can find a way to get there!!!
I look forward to seeing you in Atlanta!!
Katy