u/Nesting_Pigeon

Hi everyone, I know this is last minute but my fam wants to do a camping celebration for my mom’s retirement. This is the last time she’d be in the states and so we want to show her the beauty of New England and show her the fall foliage.

We’re considering places no farther than a 4 hour drive from Eastern Queens New York and would like to see waterfalls, mountains, and of course the beautiful fall colors. Right now Manchester Vermont is at the top of our list but we would like to hear from others. We like hiking and sightseeing, would love to eat some delicious pancakes with maple syrup too, also love fall activities.

Anyway if anyone has suggestions please drop them below; it would really help. We also need camping sites and are worried about the temperature since one of the nights will be 39°F, would a 30°F sleeping bag be sufficient for each of us? Anyway thanks everyone! I really look forward to hearing advice :).

Hi everyoneee so I’m a Queens native living veryyyy east of Queens, I recently moved because I lost my rent stabilized apartment but unfortunately that means I got pushed farther out of the city :(.

I’ve had a really difficult time establishing friends as a 23 year old woman, and I’m wondering if it’s even possible because I live so far. My neighborhood is made up of families and older folks so not really many people to connect with there. I wish I lived closer to Manhattan/Brooklyn but it’s not an option rn and the commute is about 50 minutes on the express bus by my house to Manhattan which isn’t bad, but then Brooklyn is nearly 2 hours away.

I desperately want community and friends to go out with, how can I do this if I live this far? Does anyone have any advice? I would loveee it if I could make some friends around the Forest Hills/LIC/Astoria/Bell Blvd area because at least these aren’t as far for me but I don’t know how. I don’t have the spontaneity of being able to go out and party and get back home so I’m feeling stuck on how to plug myself into friendships thank you!!

I’m considering joining climbing gyms, I’m Latina and love art, music, movies, chill activities but also raving & clubbing.

Hi so I’m looking for advice from WOC/low-income background travelers specifically because I feel like I don’t hear from a lot of us.

I’m 23 and I’ve been wanting to backpack ever since I studied abroad on a scholarship in college in 2024. It was amazing and I solo traveled which made me feel so alive. Anyway, I live in NYC which is also an amazing city and ever since then I’ve been traveling frequently to visit my boyfriend who lives in the UK, but I’ve always wanted to do a backpacking trip long term.

I feel like i’ve always been hesitant though. Because I have been financially helping my family out for years, and I feel guilty when I travel knowing how hard my family works and how they can’t live the experiences I have. This year, I signed another term for our lease which means I have the chance to finally go backpacking but I’m afraid. I don’t have anywhere to fall back on.

I feel like many of the encounters I’ve read say the same thing, that people work for a few months, go travel, and then go back to their parents home or their relatives but I can’t do that.

My dad’s homeless and my mom’s retired in South America, I don’t have more family in the U.S. so not sure what I would do if things backfired. I do have my boyfriend in the UK but even then I could only stay for 6 months max as a U.S. citizen. Does anyone else have similar circumstances but still bit the bullet?

I also have about 8k saved up, and I don’t feel comfortable using them all towards traveling. I know I could get a remote job, but I’m genuinely so afraid of being financially irresponsible because I don’t have anywhere to fall back on like I said, and my family doesn’t even have any home ownership like I would have to full on rent something if I were to go back to NYC after which is a LOT of money. I’m lucky my rent is currently $740 and I’m able to save a lot more this year, but yeah not sure what to do after!

I’ve considered going to grad school and moving in with my boyfriend in the UK then having the liberty of traveling to Asia/Europe for cheaper while being with my partner but tuition is extremely high. I’ve also considered backpacking South America and crashing with my mom occasionally but she lives in a superrr tiny town in the mountains so it’s not really convenient. I’m currently applying to Fulbright and other exchange programs because I do have a strong academic edge that could get me abroad, but I’m tired of relying on that and having to fight for funding because i’m from a low-income background.

I wish I could just get up and go without these worries but I genuinely feel so much guilt especially because my dads homeless but last time I tried to help he drained me financially. Anyway maybe i’m just venting at this point, I guess I feel jealous of everyone here for following their heart. I don’t know how to get that courage because it feels like it could set me back generationally and it’s horrifying. Would love to hear from any WOC or low-income folks that made it happen thanks

Hey everyone,

I’ve been really avoidant and haven’t been working on my app as much as I should’ve, I don’t know if I should just give up. I know the national deadline is really soon, I have 3 of my recommenders secured but no letters yet because I haven’t followed up.

I’m really anxious and have even working on a Spain ETA application but I don’t feel motivation anymore for some reason. I got through 2 rounds of edits and stopped. I’m nervous to continue because I feel really stressed and feel like I’m going to stress out my recommenders what do I do?

I was a Gilman scholar, am a research assitant at an ivy league, and an educator part time. All of these things have also been in the way so it’s been hard to work on this application. Stupidly enough I feel like doing a complete 180 and apply for a study award instead but not sure if it’s foolish at this point in time.

I applied to Gilman 8 days before it was due and somehow got it, but the extent of Fulbright’s competitiveness is what’s really putting me off! Help!

Hi so my macbook pro 2020 is giving up badddd, it barely charges, my screen panel broke twice after repairing it once and it’s just incredibly slow. I’ve had it for 6 years now I will admit.

I’m looking to get another laptop now but I’m so overwhelmed with options. I don’t want to spend more than $850 on a refurbished laptop, and I need something faster, I’m in the U.S.

I work in marketing so I have to download videos and graphics + edit with multiple tabs open. I also like to DJ as a hobby so I run softwares like Rekordbox and use photoshop for example. I also work in research so yeah just multiple tabs and zoom meetings usually though atm I’m going to be unemployed soon but will be using a lot of tabs still.

I’m also gonna start grad school soon, yeah basically I just need more storage and faster speeds, something that doesn’t have a bad battery life and lasts around the same as this laptop did.

I’m hesitant on going back to apple because the prices are frustrating and I don’t understand the new chips or anything. Not to get too political on here but I also don’t support the fact that it’s been designed in Israel, I also just feel like apple making it harder to repair laptops sucks like I know my display is messed up because of the flex wire but I would have to replace the entire screen again to fix just that one wire.

Anyway yeah, apple OS is so good though, the design is easy and sleek. I want something kind of simple like that but not sure what to do thanks.

Hi so my macbook pro 2020 is giving up badddd, it barely charges, my screen panel broke twice after repairing it once and it’s just incredibly slow. I’ve had it for 6 years now I will admit.

I’m looking to get another laptop now but I’m so overwhelmed with options. I don’t want to spend more than $850 on a refurbished laptop, and I need something faster, I’m in the U.S.

I work in marketing so I have to download videos and graphics + edit with multiple tabs open. I also like to DJ as a hobby so I run softwares like Rekordbox and use photoshop for example. I also work in research so yeah just multiple tabs and zoom meetings usually though atm I’m going to be unemployed soon but will be using a lot of tabs still.

I’m also gonna start grad school soon, yeah basically I just need more storage and faster speeds, something that doesn’t have a bad battery life and lasts around the same as this laptop did.

I’m hesitant on going back to apple because the prices are frustrating and I don’t understand the new chips or anything. Not to get too political on here but I also don’t support the fact that it’s been designed in Israel, I also just feel like apple making it harder to repair laptops sucks like I know my display is messed up because of the flex wire but I would have to replace the entire screen again to fix just that one wire.

Anyway yeah, apple OS is so good though, the design is easy and sleek. I want something kind of simple like that but not sure what to do thanks.

I was an interim employee for the past 7 months but my contract ended and I wasn’t offered an extension :(.

I’m 22 and lived with my parents but they both retired and I’ve been trying to apply to jobs. I have 2 months to find something before I have no income and can’t pay rent because now I’m alone with my brother left with bills and rent.

Would I be able to apply for unemployment benefits even if I didn’t get paid off but am currently looking for work? I work a per diem job on the side but it’s sometimes 5 hours something 8, so it’s not reliable and only $20 an hour. I do have savings but I really don’t want to use them all especially because I’m so young and have no parental support to fall on, both of my parents don’t live in the state let alone the country and I don’t have other family members here.

I’m asking because even though I have 2 months, I don’t have health insurance and the last time I was unemployed it took me 7 months to find a job which is my worry and I have to afford rent.

What can I do? thank you

HIi!

I’m currently in the market for a new sewing machine as my old one gave up on me.

I just need some help and advice as of what to buy. I currently have narrowed it down to 2 options, now before I tell you, I should also put into context that I’m not a beginner but I’m also not as skilled as I want to be, so I’m hoping with this upgrade I can improve, anyway, the options are a Swiss Bernina 801 sport, I’ve heard good things about this machine, and the other is a JUKI DDL-227 Industrial, this one I feel would be good to do everything and anything, but I’m just not sure if it’s the right move considering my experience.

Any help will be appreciated!

HIi!

I’m currently in the market for a new sewing machine as my old one gave up on me.

I just need some help and advice as of what to buy. I currently have narrowed it down to 2 options, now before I tell you, I should also put into context that I’m not a beginner but I’m also not as skilled as I want to be, so I’m hoping with this upgrade I can improve, anyway, the options are a Swiss Bernina 801 sport, I’ve heard good things about this machine, and the other is a JUKI DDL-227 Industrial, this one I feel would be good to do everything and anything, but I’m just not sure if it’s the right move considering my experience.

Any help will be appreciated!

23 year old woman here and I’m feeling the pressure of not doing enough in life and realizing I’m going to be 24 next summer. I don’t know how time flew so fast, I remember just turning 21 graduating college and telling myself I was going to take a gap year then go into a masters program.

But I kept delaying it, I grew up in a low-income family as a latina and it’s been difficult to built a path for me. I always wanted to go to school abroad and have roommates, make friends, all that, but never had the money to.

Honestly I’m glad, I spent not a dime on my undergrad and actually ended up getting reimbursements because I got a bunch of scholarships and my tuition was low since I went to a city college in NYC (where I grew up). I ended up getting a scholarship that changed my life, it covered an entire semester abroad and I wouldn’t have ever been able to finance it without this.

It made me realize how bad I craved that life of having my own flat somewhere just exploring the world, I solo traveled because I had money left over from the aforementioned scholarships and ended up meeting my now boyfriend of 2 years in Scotland. I’m actually typing this from Edinburgh and I’ve been visiting him every summer since we’ve met. It’s been so great, I met a lot of cool friends abroad and now I have friends over the states I visit. This past year alone I went camping for the first time ever with my friend I met in Spain, we drove up to Maine together and spent 2 weeks roadtripping. I also made a solo trip to Colombia which was amazing and I was able to visit my family there. 2 weeks ago me and my partner went to Croatia and spent the week, we’re planning a backpacking trip before I go back home.

I always am sad when I go back home, NYC is wonderful I mean lots to do, but the job market is crushing and I’m struggling to find a full time job. I feel kind of foolish, and regret not applying for grad school earlier and not applying for exchange programs abroad.

I mean I did for some, I applied to NALCAP to teach in Spain but it got shut down temporarily and I wasn’t able to go, then I applied to carry out a fellowship for a NGO in Latin America for a year but got offered only $100 a month which felt brutal for Costa Rica, then I applied for a German exchange but got rejected. I felt afraid of taking either of these choices anyway, because my family always tells me I need to ground myself and get a real job that I can’t travel forever.

I have been juggling 3 jobs for the past year, and before that I was going to college and working. My jobs are easy I will admit, lots of flexibility too and let me travel. I wasn’t paying rent, just helping with bills and taking care of my own things, but now I do.

I’m staying in NYC for another year and I just feel so regretful because I’m realizing I’m gonna be 24 soon and feel really old, like I’m too old to go teach in spain and then japan and then go to grad school, it feels like I don’t have time and I’m behind. Some of these visas require you to be under 30, and I feel like as I get older I fear making these huge decisions knowing I can only rely on myself.

The low-income mindset is what is consuming me with fear, I mean it’s typical for a 24 year old to backpack or go teach somewhere else, but for me I feel like I’m fooling around and like if I make one wrong move or spend savings, I’m done for. For context we still are low income, technically my parents are. My dads homeless with no funds, bad retirement, and constantly moving across relatives homes (we don’t have a good relationship), my mom just retired but her pension is absolutely horrible and she’s moving back to Colombia.

The rest of my entire family lives in Colombia and are also low-income. Basically, I’m scared because it’s just me. Because all of my family has had to take out debt for some reason or another out of survival but I don’t have to, unless I want to go to grad school. I feel foolish using my savings to teach somewhere else and to spend it on travel knowing I wont have a place to stay soon.

So yeah, this year I opted to sign a lease with my brother for another year. Our plan is to save up and then part our ways, I feel a mix of nausea and excitement knowing after this year I could possibly live the life I’ve always wanted. I could move in with my boyfriend in Scotland and we’ve been planning how we can make it happen, I’m working with my academic advisor to apply to grad school for 2027 and praying I can get a scholarship or two, I’m applying to multiple jobs a week and tapping into my network trying.

I really just want a liberating life where I can do something I love wether that be teaching abroad and experiencing cultural exchanges, living a slow life in Scotland with my partner and going down to the river together to fish or hiking the highlands, or moving to Spain again and getting a digital nomad visa maybe. The amount of options is just overwhelming, and I get insecure knowing no one in my family has ever had this liberty or experiences before. It’s a scary thought and I feel so guilty at times, I don’t know if I made the wrong choice of staying for another year but I just felt paralyzed with fear.

I have around 8k in savings and feel like if I get to at least 20k by the end of the year I’d feel a little better doing one of these programs and having that extra cushion, and to be fair I only need to make $1,200 a month to pay my bills and rent + groceries so it’s not like I need a crazy high salary to survive and I would be able to save anywhere from 700-1,000 a month. But I’m just so afraid of creating another excuse by the end of the year even after saving up to my goal.

I just feel so guilty! Like my dad has dementia and is homeless, but it’s in part his fault because he gambled his money away and was an alcoholic. But I feel guilty too because my mom’s retiring and it feels like I’m maybe wasting her hard work by goofing off and traveling instead of building generational wealth. It’s just so confusing, but it’s been something I’ve wanted since meeting my partner who comes from a much more relaxed culture and we do the most healing activities ever.

I grew up constantly hustling and being an overachiever, I work in research at a ivy league university, I’ve gotten multiple scholarships and awards in college, I even got a congressional award in high school and have worked for a few top universities and manage multiple positions at once but I still feel incapable of living this liberating life and I get paralyzed everytime I try to move towards it. I’m trying so hard to not throw in the towel for this scholarship application to do my masters abroad in Scotland because the odds are so bad, there’s about 257 applicants for 1 award and I just feel like why me? I’ve been so lucky all my life, to be able to save up, travel, meet my partner and friends whom make traveling funner and more accessible since it’s also cheaper that way, and most of all living in an amazing city already but it still feels so far and unachievable like im gonna be too late or get hit with reality that this life isn’t for me!

Sorry this is so long, ive been stressing about this for weeks now, being an adult is so scary. I don’t want a monotone life

Hey all,

I’m a 22 year old New Yorker who’s about to be uninsured. My dad’s homeless and in another state, my mom’s retiring to her home country and therefore I’d be cut from her insurance which I was under for all my life. It was really good private insurance because she worked in the medical field.

I don’t know what to do because I’ve never done anything with insurance but from my own research I see that options like the Essential Plan are being cut so I’m scared…

I have a per diem job meaning I work whenever I’m given hours so I’m not part-time consistently and I don’t have any employer benefits as a result like health insurance. I was working this along with 2 other part time jobs because after 7 months of being unemployed I couldn’t find any full-time positions despite sending out hundreds of apps and had to settle for part time work.

It was fine for the time being, I was able to pay bills at home and maintain my own finances for years while I was in college and this past year that I started working but now my contract is up for my main part-time position which paid me at the rate of $52,000 a year and lasted only about 7 months since it was a n interim position. Now idk what to do because I have to worry about being insured and not just paying bills in addition to now rent because my parents are gone.

I’ve been looking for jobs and have about 2 months to find a job before I have to start paying rent, 4 if really necessary and I get through with my savings. But then again the insurance is what really scares me..

Last tax year I reported 8k in income so not a lot since like I said I was unemployed for months and so I’m wondering if I could apply for anything instantly to get insurance in the meantime. My brother does work fulltime and has insurance but I don’t know if I can get coverage under him? I’m going to be living with him for the year until I figure something out long-term but yeah he’s older than me.

I would appreciate any help sorry I’m clueless on this thing, my parents are both immigrants so they can’t really give me help they barely were able to sort through their own finances and insurance stuff, it’s really just me and my brother so I wanted to ask the community for help, thank you.

Hello!

I’m currently looking for a full-time position in the non-profit, NGO, and higher education realm preferably.

I’m a New York native who’s worked at New York University, Columbia University, and CUNY. I’ve held various different positions across the span of 5 years involving marketing, communications, qualitative research, and education consulting.

I’m comfortable running/managing social media pages on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook. And I also have interests/experience with digital photography (mirrorless), videography, archaeology, and visual arts. I’m also bilingual and speak native Spanish!

Anyway! Yeah that’s me :). Would love to chat more, open to anything hybrid/remote paying at least $25 preferably looking for salaried work at around $65,000 or more.

I know most people are looking for retail/pt work here but figured maybe someone has seen some relevant job postings or have any leads and could help, thank you! ✨

Hello!

I’m currently looking for a full-time position in the non-profit, NGO, and higher education realm preferably.

I’m a New York native who’s worked at New York University, Columbia University, and CUNY. I’ve held various different positions across the span of 5 years involving marketing, communications, qualitative research, and education consulting.

I’m comfortable running/managing social media pages on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook. And I also have interests/experience with digital photography (mirrorless), videography, archaeology, and visual arts. I’m also bilingual and speak native Spanish!

Anyway! Yeah that’s me :). Would love to chat more, open to anything hybrid/remote paying at least $25 preferably looking for salaried work at around $65,000 or more.

I know most people are looking for retail/pt work here but figured maybe someone has seen some relevant job postings or have any leads and could help, thank you! ✨

23 F American and my partner is 20M from the UK.

We’re looking at options to close the gap after dating for 2 years now, but it seem really rough. I would have to drop around 20k for a graduate degree, or he would have to work fulltime to sponsor me.

Were considering both options, but wanted to know how exactly the spousal visa works?

I don’t have work authorization in the UK, but I do have around $10,000 in savings atm, would this be able to be combined when considering his income? Additionally, if I came on a finance/civil partnership visa first, would I be able to have work authorization for 6 months and then be able to combine my income with his to make the 29k requirement?

We’re both really young so we don’t have super solid jobs, but we would live with his dad and work. We just really want to be together and are deeply in love :(. Thank you for your help