I'm a yearnin for a burnin

PlayaPanda · Post by **PlayaPanda** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:12 pm

Greetings friends!

I'm Panda, or Veronica if you like, but everyone calls me panda. I discovered Burning Man a little less then a year ago and from the moment i stumbled upon the sight i knew, I was home.
The people, the art, the atmosphere, the dust, the nudity, it all calls to me and I yearn for it in a way i can't describe.

I so desperately want to go this year. I want 2010, the year i graduate High school, the year i turn 18, to be my first Burn.

Unfortunately i don't think I'll be financially stable enough to get all the way to the playa from Jersey. That's also the first year I'm attending collage and i need to save up for tuition. Plus I want my burning man experience to be a pleasant and relaxed one, i don't want to be rushing back home the morning after the burn so i can get to my first classes in time.

I'm so torn and i haven't a clue as to what i should do. Could you spar some advice for a poor virgin who's lost her way?

Honey Bucket · Post by **Honey Bucket** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:31 pm

Aah Panda, such a predicament you're in. There's is this ides that you could wait till you're all finished with school. Just think in about 4 years, how many wonderful costumes you will make and oh, that penny/nickle/dime jar in four years will help subsidize you're great first time adventure. Just put out your vibes, because you'll also meet like people in your school thqat will most likely want to join you, your first time and share expenses and experiences. You'll make it. Welcome home!

Post by **Sham** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:53 pm

Welcome Panda!
I am a fairly impulsive person, so I can't plan for doing something way down the road. If it's there, I must do it as soon as possible.

Every year that I attended BM so far, I have never been able to stay and see the burn of the temple. I hear it's more spectacular than burning the man, but I may never know.

If you get to go this year and you miss the burn of the man, at least you'll know what the event is all about.

Only you can decide if you can go and if you can fit things into the plans. I will tell you without question, you will not regret it if you do go.

Again, WELCOME and look forward to you making it to the desert when you get there.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 7:42 pm

There's are active burners in New York (city) and maybe you're close enough to attend some events. This might lead to a ride or it might not. But you might have fun.

PlayaPanda · Post by **PlayaPanda** » Sun Jan 24, 2010 4:40 pm

Thanks Honey Bucket, your words were very helpful. <3

And you too Shambala, I know you're so right that if i do go i won't regret it in the least.

But thinking about that Jar, and all that money i could save up is very tempting >.<

PavementBlues · Post by **PavementBlues** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:44 am

You could also transfer to the University of California system. That way, you'll be way closer to the playa and you'll be on the quarter system, which doesn't get back from summer until late September.

leydar · Post by **leydar** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:59 am

Pfft, go to the Burning Man. It's gonna be great. :)

PlayaPanda · Post by **PlayaPanda** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:40 pm

I wish i could go to college in Cali! That's like my life's dream! (besides going to burning man that is X3)
Unfortunately my parents are making me go to community college for 2 years, then they promised to help pay for any college i want to go to. Yeah, that old song and dance -_-

I think I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that i want to go. Definitely want to go. But if i do i can only stay a few days, not even long enough to see the man burn.

I still think it will be worth it. :D

CornStar · Post by **CornStar** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:17 pm

Dude. College isn't high school, I'm pretty sure all colleges start at the end of september, a month later than high schools. If you're pro-active enough to be researching BM in january and are living with your folks then you have plenty of time to get an after school job as a barista or something and mooch off of the beauty of being a cost-of-living free minor. Summer job = hella cash, then quit your job, go to BM, and then off to college, only to figure out that the west coast is where its at and drop out never to be seen east of the mississippi again.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:26 pm

So why do they call you Panda, if you care to say, anyway?

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 7:00 am

Many universities begin their semesters the same day as Burning Man. I get the community college thing, but have you decided on a major yet? Do you have a passion for anything? Because if you're exploring options, then Burning Man might be one of those options. But don't listen too much to me, after dropping out my junior year and taking the GED I went to college, then I used my community college credits to get a high school diploma, joined the Navy, took 20 years to finish my first BS, and now have two perfectly good degrees, one of which is teaching certified, and yet I'm a stay at home quasi-retired homemaker and artist.

You'll figure it out. Save up your pennies indeed.

Welcome Home.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 10:23 am

PlayaPanda wrote: Unfortunately my parents are making me go to community college for 2 years, then they promised to help pay for any college i want to go to. Yeah, that old song and dance -_-

It is absolutely impossible for me to judge the veracity of your parents' offer at this distance, but, given the brutal economic situation, and the hideous cost of most four-year institutions, this could be the gold-plated truth. And much as this drop-out hates to admit it, a college degree opens doors.

PlayaPanda · Post by **PlayaPanda** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:41 pm

I think i might have mislead you, I'm not upset about going to community collage. The one i'm going to is not only cheap but one of the best CC's in New Jersey. And yes while the thought of staying in my dead end home town is a little upsetting, its worth it to live at home for free and save up as much money as i can.

Another reason i'm not upset is because i haven't found my calling yet (to answer your question AntiM) I have alot passions and i have alot of different carrier paths in front of me. I've looked at everything from Freelance artist to Clinical psychiatrist and again my indecisiveness is getting the best of me. My hope is that after 2 years of community i'll have a better understanding of what i really want.

~~~

I have no problem sharing, I went through a phase where i was obsessed with pandas. And it was around that time my friend cheiz decided Everyone she knew needed a nickname! So i became Panda X3

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 6:05 pm

Subjectively your yearning to go is very real and valid. 5 years down the road or so, you may view it a bit different, but right now it is just as real as the yearning someone in their 40â€™s may feel after having just discovered the event for the first time.

Myself, I tried for years to break free and make it out to the desert. Finally one year everything fell right into place. I was 32. Only you can decide if this is the right time to go for you. Weigh it out and see if going feels irresponsible or not. If going feels rushed or pushed, maybe wait. If not, and you make it for a shorter duration, youâ€™ll still have fun. Warning: Problem is, after youâ€™ve been once youâ€™ll want to go again and the deeper you get into school, the harder it will get to justify missing your first few days of class to go to the desert. You sound like youâ€™ve got your head on right so far, and I bet youâ€˜ll figure it out just fine.

my parents are making me go to community college for 2 years, then they promised to help pay for any college i want to go to

This is a good deal not to be passed up, especially in this economy. Regarding finding your callingâ€¦ I started college to be something completely different than I wound up being. Dropped out of university and picked up a hands-on trade via tech school. Finding your footing in community college isnâ€˜t a bad plan. Get your general ed stuff out of the way. Most people change their direction at least once.

littleflower · Post by **littleflower** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 8:12 pm

hello panda!
i'm another one who always wanted to go to burning man for years but didn't know how ... you'll figure it out.

my parents are making me go to community college for 2 years, then they promised to help pay for any college i want to go to

i suspect that think we'll see more and more of this ... not only because of the expense, i keep hearing horror stories of people who change their majors, and can't get the classes they need to graduate because the freshmen get priority over lower division classes. one of my nephews had to take calculus at a jc in summer school for this reason, and it's apparently pretty common. it's also more difficult to change majors than it used to be, another good reason to go to a JC.

good luck, i hope you make it this year!