Yes, they were pretty nice during school and for the 6 month grace period after graduation. I have a different feeling towards them now. Fortunately, a good chunk of my loans are able to get deferred while I'm away. However, one of my loans (which I will now refer to as the Mega Loan), is kicking me in the butt. The Mega Loan is about 50% of my total loan debt. Probably poor planning on my part when first applying for loans, but what can ya do. The Mega Loan is non-deferrable (I don't care if that's not a word). Perfect.
Though I think I have figured out a solution. My tears, anger, stress, and foul language turned into patience, gratitude, and smiles (and maybe a few more curse words here and there). It was definitely a hoot trying to figure all this out, and I recommend setting aside at least 3-4 days to get it all settled. It normally shouldn't take that long, but with me, I needed to take a lot of breaks to calm myself down and to fully think my options through. So, if you're in the same sinking boat as me, definitely do NOT wait until the last minute to figure your student loans out. I recommend taking care of them first. It's definitely a huge stress reliever to get it out of the way. Even if it is temporary.
Some of my loans that are getting deferred require you to renew the deferral after a period of time (ex. 12 months). So make copies of all your forms you have been filling out, and take them with you to fill out when the time comes. My printer is smoking and sparking because I've printed so many (and probably unnecessary) copies. But I can't be too safe. I was also told to jot down all the information from each loan company you have loans through (i.e. address, phone number, fax number, etc.). This is important too because a few of my loans require me to have proof that I am in the Peace Corps, which must be given to me by an official Peace Corps affiliate, which cannot be given to me until staging. Make sense? So take all your filled out forms, get that proof signed by a VIP (Very Important PeaceCorpsAffiliate), and fax away! I've told my group that we are having a faxing party in the hotel. It's gonna be grand. We'll see if it's as stress-free as I am currently assuming. Fingers crossed!
That's my advice when it comes to student loans. I've probably left something out by mistake. I've probably left some emotions and bad feelings out on purpose. It's a ride. Just be prepared for this chunk of it. And once you're done with it, it should be smooth sailing...right?
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