Hey everyone! So this might be a problem some of you have had, and I'd love your input on this.
Since I discovered that I need to be physically active in order to stay happy (that is, by dancing my way through life), I cannot give it up. I stopped dancing and doing any sort of physical activity during the second half of 2011, and things didn't go so swell for me at uni.
It's summer in Peru right now, and I'm going back to college on mid-March. I have a job now that has allowed me pay for my dance lessons instead of begging my mother for money (I have a ginormous debt with her that would take too long to explain here). It's 40 hours a week in an English institute, and I barely have any free time during my shift. I cannot be caught reading a book or even eating sometimes, because I'm the receptionist. So it eats up a lot of my time. Which is fine for now, but I'm afraid this will change when I go back to uni.
Truth is, I've been delaying my graduation date. If I take less classes this semester and the following one, I would study at uni for 7 years. Frankly speaking, I don't like my college experience. I chose my major just because. My academic goal is to take my masters abroad, quite possibly in the UK.
If I take all of my classes this upcoming semester, I would have to quit my job. Which would also mean losing the necessary income to take my dance lessons. If I don't quit, I may not even have enough time to take the lessons I want because I'd be running back and forth between my workplace and uni. And that does not help my mental health.

Has anyone been in this predicament before? Dancing is so important and therapeutic for me. I don't know what to do!

Can you find a part-time job instead? Or could you do work-study on campus? It doesn't sound like you enjoy your job too much.

You live in Peru? I don't know much about the universities there but I am sure you'll be able to find a happy medium.

Hi majere! Thank you for replying. I'm trying to find another job but it's hard to find placements. I already did the research for the usual job as a Starbucks barista.
There are no student loans for private universities in Peru, unfortunately That's why this is such a conundrum!

Have you talked to your dance teacher? Maybe you could help around the studio or assist with classes in lieu of tuition? Most teachers would rather work things out than see a student leave due to financial problems.

You may have to take a break from your regular studio for a bit, but you may not have to stop dancing entirely. Shop around a bit for classes. I find that dance classes offered as university clubs, or by people who do it for fun, outside of their regular jobs are often cheaper than at studios. You wouldn't get as much individual attention, and they may not have the certification to enter you in competitions, but you'd still be dancing. Look around outside your discipline. Beginner classes are often cheaper than advanced ones, and I find learning a new style of dance is more challenging physically and mentally, with a shorter class.
Good luck.