u/thespianomaly

I am a 2025 graduate with a degree in journalism. I was a nontraditional, older student who graduated at 34. For the past four years, I have been working for a magazine as the assistant editor, where I serve as the copy editor and contribute feature stories. This job is only 15 hours a week.

I am actively looking for a full-time job or a second part-time job. A private girls' high school posted a listing for a journalism instructor and specifically sought someone in the industry. They said, "Teaching experience preferred but not required."

I ticked all their boxes. I applied, interviewed, and was offered the job.

It pays $100 an hour and is only 2 hours per week: Tuesdays and Thursdays for 40 minutes in the morning. This is the only class, and there would be 5-7 students in the class. According to the principal, what they're really looking for is someone to oversee the weekly student newsletter, which involves interviews and the like. The entire school is only 40 students.

I would be getting $200 per week, and that's it. No benefits. I recognize that $100 an hour is a great rate, but it seems like a lot of work is required of me outside those 2 hours, and I will not be compensated for it. (My husband said to think of it as $25 per hour for 4 hours instead. I have no idea if this helps.)

My teaching experience:

• Oversaw a Girl Scout troop while in high school for much younger girls.

• Took an educator-related class at my university that involved lesson planning.

• I review theatre in my spare time, and sometimes grade kids' reviews when we do contests, opportunities, etc.

Before the school year begins, I obviously need to get certified as a mandated reporter, have a background check, etc. The school is not reimbursing me for this.

Is this par for the course? Am I being taken advantage of? What am I looking at here?

This is the only journalism-related job I have been able to land since graduating a year ago. (Very much regretting this degree, but it's too late now.)

I appreciate any advice or assistance. Thank you.

My loans consist of subsidized and unsubsidized federal direct. As of right now it’s just over $36k.

I am a freelance writer working for a magazine. I am considered an independent contractor and get a 1099 for tax season. I work 15 hours a week.

My husband is a stage actor and works multiple gigs throughout the year. For the past 14 years, he has worked a Christmas job that paid insanely well and made up about a third of our yearly income.

I have just used our tax returns for IBR. However, he just got notice that the theater will not be bringing him back for 2026. So we just lost a third of our income that technically hasn’t happened yet.

I recertified for IBR manually with my independent contractor invoices and his paystubs for his current job, which pays significantly less.

I worry that someone at Nelnet will see the documents I submitted and compare it to last year’s income and deny me.

Am I required to give the department permission to view our taxes if I’m submitting manually? I’m thinking I’d like to revoke it. I realize they will base the income on the gross amount. That’s fine.

Thank you for your help.

EDIT: My monthly payment is currently $387.

There’s a siren that goes off probably every day in Banker’s Hill. It sounds like an atomic bomb is going to drop. Does anyone know what this is and where it’s coming from?

Thank you.