Recessionista was initially created to help you all with tips on saving money, but it's more than that. This is also a real world account of surviving in the recession.

The recession has affected millions of Americans across the country. If it hasn't hit you directly yet, it has definitely impacted someone you know, or even someone close to you. If you're thinking "no, can't say that it has," you can retract that statement. Recessionista has been affected by the recession. I'm here to tell you how it's affected me and what I'm doing about it.

School: I chose to go to a public school for college so I can save money as opposed to choosing a private school. Initially, this was a great idea. I won several scholarships and was eligible for a CalGrant, essentially meaning I got a "free ride" to California State University Long Beach. I chose not to go to Biola University or Azusa Pacific University as to save money by avoiding student loans at all costs. Let's just say my plan has since backfired. My school has been directly hit with budget cut issues. Many classes are not being offered, tuition has increased, and I honestly believe I made a mistake in choosing my school. With over 36,000 students, I feel the campus is too large and impersonal for my education preferences. I found myself to be extremely unhappy with  my decision and felt lost & hopeless. Thankfully, I have found an alternative: Woodbury University. I plan (fingers crossed) to attend starting Fall 2010, pursuing a BA in Organizational Leadership. There's also the chance I can pursue this education for little to no cost out of pocket.

Work: I started college with a part time job working for my local city government's Parks & Recreation Department. Unfortunately, I had a family crisis which put me on little sleep and high stress. I had a class schedule starting at 8am Mondays and Wednesdays and 9:30am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Being an insomniac, not being able to sleep until 2am and waking up at 6am was not cutting it. I changed my schedule to get some more sleep, requested a work transfer weekly for 5 months so I could work weekends, and was unsuccessful. I have been unemployed since August 31, 2009. I depleted my savings, maxed out my credit cards, and had to take small contract jobs to get by. Thankfully, my internship experience, even though unpaid, is finally paying off. I have lined up several interviews with companies that have positions open in my passion (social media and internet marketing), and I'm looking forward to starting a position or 2 within the next few weeks.

With just those 2 situations, the recession has given me a few hard-knock-life lessons:

1. Do not make your educational decisions strictly based on financial aid. Weigh all of your options or you will find yourself miserable.
2. Do what makes you happy.
3. Unpaid internships do pay off in the long run with invaluable experience.
4. Sometimes, you shouldn't take no for an answer.
5. Credit is not to be played with. Use responsibly.