OCT 6, 2026

Turns Out, I Can’t Afford College

It looks like I won’t be going back to college after all.

For years, I have wanted to go back to college. After getting accepted into Temple University, I thought it was meant to be. I thought maybe this was my second chance.

I have been in Japan for three years, and I still have not learned the language the way I wanted to. A lot of that has been because of stress, overwork, and not having the time or energy to focus on Japanese.

That’s why going back to college felt perfect. I would be able to study Japanese, expand my options in Japan, and finally move toward the career I have always wanted in tech.

But now everything feels like it has come to a standstill because I cannot afford college. I applied to different loan lenders, but every one of them requires a co-signer. There is no realistic way for me to pay out of pocket on my Japanese salary.

I had so many plans for going back to school, and now I feel like I am back at square one.

I do not know if this is the end of the plan or just another delay, but right now it hurts.