How do you deal?

Hey, I'm kinda new here but I've been reading a lot of your guys' posts. Most of you seem so positive and optimistic. Not to say I'm a negative pessimist, but I consider myself a realist and I don't get my hopes up unless I am pretty certain something is going to happen. Anyway, I've always been kind of passive and even patient about my status maybe because subconsciously I knew there was nothing I could really do about it. However, lately I've reached a borderline breaking point. I have so much pent up frustration and I feel trapped. Literally. If I had to choose one word to describe how I feel it would be trapped.

After high school I got into a few universities but of course I couldn't go because of the money. So I decided to go to community college, the more affordable option, and transfer out. Two years later I have been accepted into UCLA (my dream school for 10 years) and now I am stuck once again, with no money to attend. I have spent countless hours searching for scholarships and jobs and have had no luck with either one. Now I just contemplate new excuses to tell my friends why I don't have a license, id, apply for financial aid, etc. and watch them live their lives and travel the world. Don't get me wrong, I'm really happy for them, the hard part is knowing that even if I had the money, I couldn't do the same.

So that's my story. I don't want any pity or "poor you" comments, just wanted to give a bit of background. So how do you guys deal with it and stay so positive? Also, don't you find that keeping up with the status of the DREAM Act and an immigration reform can be depressing and frustrating? Sometimes I'd rather not read about it just because I have little to no faith in it anymore. Just the other day I heard on the news that there is no way an immigration reform is passing this year. So..yeah, how do you deal?

I'm 25 been here since I was 8.
Same BS year after year, but we have to hang on.
Things are not any better in Mexico, or any where else for that matter.
So try to do the best with what you have, stay busy.

Run, Bike, Swim, join a Gym, party, get a part time job, date, join a club team, take up some sort of hobby. In short live your life.

Well I try to keep myself busy with work and hanging out with friends. Right now, I try to watch most of the games of el mundial. I try to think the least of our situation, but sometimes is impossible. I just hope something happens this year.

I have good days and bad days. Lately it's been more bad than good I babysit and when I have work I usually feel better, but now that I lost my best gig I'm feeling down again. I hate feeling like I'm hanging by a thread all the time.

What has really gotten me down lately is that I volunteer for a pretty prestigious research institution and the person I volunteer for is constantly asking me when I'll work for her. She says I'm too good not to get paid and it's heartache for me every time she talks about it. People I know would kill to even volunteer there Everyone asks me why I don't get paid for what I do.

Now I want to be an RN, leaving a great Uni to pursue an AA because it was too costly to do med school but I can't apply until I have a social. I've checked out a lot of schools but all require an SS for the clinicals. I just feel blah

In short, some days are good (when I'm not thinking about my situation) and some days are bad. Stay busy and find a way to make money, that usually makes everything better for me.

This turned into a sob story ahha but just remember that you aren't alone, not all of us are balls of sunshine every day

Its not easy to deal.

Knowing others are feeling the same way makes me feel less alone.

I'm excited to see what the future holds.. Yet the day to day struggle to keep myself sane can get though. I've given myself some options.. I will wait around for 1 or 2 more years, and see if DA passes. Or something else comes up ; )

If not.. I plan to move to Europe. Scared as crap to go alone, but I believe life will work out for me.

I know what you mean about it breaking your heart. So many times I've come across great opportunities but of course the magic 9 numbers are required.. And It feels like I'm never gonna be where I wanna be..And to see other people be able to take on jobs and all that other good stuff so easily gets very depressing. But life will change for us one day. It has to.

I am actually trying to leave for Europe in a few months. I actually really dont want to, but at this point. I applied for a school that a couple of my cousins are in over there, and right now Im waiting to hear back from them. I just turned 23 a month ago and I feel like my life isnt any different from when I was 18. I cant wait on America my whole life. I need them to wait on me.

You're right.

Why don't you wanna go over there? And which country are you planning on going to?

Its because of the Country: Russia. Some family members on my dad's side live there and went to school there. But the reason why I dont want to is because I dont know if I will like the culture there. I could imagine living in a place line England or Germany, but Russia is just so unknown to me. And Im scared of the unknown. But hey I cant live like this forever, so Im taking the chance.

ETA: Another reason is because my whole family is here. My friends, everything I know

yeah, it really does feel better to know I'm not alone. Why/how are you planning on going to Europe? Is it easy to get residency over there?

heft107 what country are you planning on moving to?