I moved back home after I graduated law school because I didn’t have a job lined up. I eventually did get a job, but it was an AmeriCorps position where I made $800/month. I freeloaded in every possible way that year: lived and ate for free with my mom, graciously accepted free meals from friends, moved in part time with a brand new boyfriend (now spouse!), and even let my father pay for my plane tickets to Rome to stay with friends there for a week.

Now that I have money though, I’m paying it back and paying it forward because I am still so thankful for those people who were there for me, and am glad to be someone else’s source of support in their time of need.