Risk

Last week in class we discussed the risk involved in purchase decisions. I knew about cognitive dissonance, from marketing class, I get it a lot since I'm a poor college student trying to learn how to manage her money. I get cognitive dissonance over a new shirt, or a case of beer - so i experience that like every other day? (exaggeration, that's wishful thinking i guess).
Every risk that we went through, financial, social, psychological, personal, and performance, I applied to my life in a different way. --College in general was a huge risk for me. I could easily apply every risk to college.
Social risk- there are two - count 'em, one, two, other people from my home town attending Kent right now, they both graduate this year. By coming to Kent, I was not only putting a lot of space (31/2 - 4 hour drive) in between my family, I was putting a lot of space in between me and all my friends that were in college or going to college that year with me. I was essentially going to a school no one in my hometown went to or had heard of in lot a cases. I was taking the risk that I'd distance myself from the people I loved and relied on. All of my other friends seem to go to college together in packs 5 to Bowling Greeen, 10 to Ohio State, 4 at our branch in the next town over, a few at Cinci, and my best friend at OU, yes by herself but none the less still a good drive away. Yes, I was alone, no one to explore with, or room with, or even touch base with. alone. social risk - of losing touch with all my friends from high school.
Financial risk - I am one of 5 children, and my mother always said it was no problem growing up but she never knew we'd all go to college. So I am the last, the baby, and I've seen mom and dad go years without new shoes and have no vacation or money for themselves so they can send that money to my older brothers and sisters to help pay rent or eat that week. So money, financial risk - when i could have saved money by going to the branch in the next town over (my one years tutition at kent would have been the cost of all four years tutition there) was huge.
Psychological risk - had a lot to do with if Kent would be the right fit for me, one of my older brothers had gone off to school, to decide a year later thats not what he wanted, and a year later deciding he wanted something else. fear of failure, or wasting my money and my parents money.
personal risk - i think of that more having to do with my mom and dad, and saying over and over again - college is dangerous, be safe, dont walk alone at night, calls when i'm sick, and that.
performance risk - there was always the what if i just dont go to class, or if i have a really hard time in my classes. what if this school isn't teaching me what i need to learn, doesnt have the best professors and a good ciriculum? will the university teach me everything i need as promised?
college in general was a huge risk for me, good thing so far it's paid off.

Here it is...

Ok so here's the entry for the advertising and promotional management class. We were talking about good advertising and bad advertising. More like welcome advertising and UNWELCOME advertising. In which I had a very recently experience with. I've needed ink for my printer for like the last 2 monthes, but I didn't have the cash. So I continue to put it off, until this semester starts and I have to print off like a MILLION TONS of notes and crap for all of my classes. SOOOOO, I get on Dell's website last night to order more ink and I find the stuff and try to order it - needless to say it took forever and on the last step, payment... whatever to say the least I', already frustrated and I end up having to call a service number or whatever. This English or Australian guy gets on the phone, and while I'm trying to order ink (and cook myself dinner, which I'm not the greatest at anyways, - I burn a lot stuff) this guy is trying to push me a crap-ton of products. No, I don't want two for a better price (cause it's really not better, he's already charging me above the price that was on their website), No. I don't want glossy photo paper for the extra low price of 5.99 for 14 pieces...blah blah.. I want one black, standard capacity cartridge please. anyways it took 45 minutes. Finally got off the phone and I wanted to scream. So I did. at my innocent bystander boyfriend, laying on the couch. Fight insues, and who do I have to thank for the extra stress - dell. and their stupid promotional strategy. thats it #1 entry complete. tune in next week..... hahaha