What did you give up for college?

I received a comment on my last post stating that someone gave up a job with the U.S. Post Office in order to go to law school.  When I read this, I could not help but wonder what other people have given up in order to go to law school.  As with all forms of schooling, one gives up income that they could be earning to go to law school.  That's basic economics.  However, many people probably feel that they gave up more than just money.  Examples include:

• Secure jobs.
• Employment that was enjoyable.
• The location in which they worked (especially when a person relocates for law school).
• Family (I moved far from mine for law school).
• Looks (many people balloon in law school.  Further stress makes a person not so pretty).
• Time (one could learn another profession, and perhaps wish they did so).
• A mate (sometimes a person leaves a girlfriend, boyfriend, fiance, etc. for schooling).
• Outside interests (some people give up interests and activities that they enjoyed for school).
• A skill (abilities wane when one does not regularly engage in them).

With that in mind, I ask: What have you given up for (law) school (or otherwise)?  Looking back, do you have any advice for people who are entering school, or thinking of entering school?  Of course, money is always on the forefront of everyone's mind, because that's how success is often measured.  School's use money as the enticement to enter.  However, many people do not think about the other things that they have given up in order to go to school. 

Oftentimes, one can not get into a school in the location they live.  Oftentimes this is a place where the person has spent most of their life, or has chosen to live.  Perhaps the student plans on returning to this place after school.  Maybe the applicant hoped to get into a school in the area, but with their lackluster LSAT score, they were not admitted to a school close to home.  So, the person relocates to another place where they were accepted.  Was this you? 

Please, feel free to share in the comments what you gave up for school.  Many people don't think about these things when they start.  Sometimes they don't realize exactly what they gave up until they are near the end of their schooling.  Everything in life involves a trade of some sort.  Did you give too much up for law school (or any other type of schooling)? 

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