FEHB, PPO, UAB, POV - my head is spinning with acronyms. While I'm still not sure what they all mean, I now have to use them to make decisions about all the administrative fun that comes with being hired by the federal government. Shopping for health insurance for the first time is confusing and intimidating, thinking about a retirement savings plan is a wee bit difficult for a 24-year-old, and dealing with tax forms has always been a task I need someone to help me with.
Luckily I have a great group of resources already available. Besides my parents (who don't yet know they are going to sit down with me all day tomorrow to work on this stuff), the google group set up for my A-100 class has been awesome. Everyone is getting to know each other, asking questions, and getting some insight from our sponsor class. I do feel a bit out a place - it seems like everyone is married and has children, given them some very different concerns than what I have. I'm glad to know at least one other young single person in the class- a girl I buddied up with during out OA is going to be in the class too, and it's a great relief to know I'll recognize a friendly face and have someone else to relate with on some of the 'family' issues.
I also had an awesome dinner a couple weeks ago with two friends of mine in the 158th. They are both so excited to be FSOs and the excitement was contagious; I left our dinner even more excited about what I'm getting into and even more confident that I made the right choice in pursuing this career. One of them is leaving next month for her first, awesome, western-european post, but I'll have my other amiga at FSI while she does more training until August before leaving for her awesome, beach-front apartment post. It's wonderful to have friends that have just been in my shoes who I can rely on for advice (they both just got a 'help me figure out health insurance' email) and general support.
This is really starting to get real. A few weeks left at NDI (they've already found a replacement for me), apartment hunting success, and signing off on my commitment to serve. I am so ready for this.
Luckily I have a great group of resources already available. Besides my parents (who don't yet know they are going to sit down with me all day tomorrow to work on this stuff), the google group set up for my A-100 class has been awesome. Everyone is getting to know each other, asking questions, and getting some insight from our sponsor class. I do feel a bit out a place - it seems like everyone is married and has children, given them some very different concerns than what I have. I'm glad to know at least one other young single person in the class- a girl I buddied up with during out OA is going to be in the class too, and it's a great relief to know I'll recognize a friendly face and have someone else to relate with on some of the 'family' issues.
I also had an awesome dinner a couple weeks ago with two friends of mine in the 158th. They are both so excited to be FSOs and the excitement was contagious; I left our dinner even more excited about what I'm getting into and even more confident that I made the right choice in pursuing this career. One of them is leaving next month for her first, awesome, western-european post, but I'll have my other amiga at FSI while she does more training until August before leaving for her awesome, beach-front apartment post. It's wonderful to have friends that have just been in my shoes who I can rely on for advice (they both just got a 'help me figure out health insurance' email) and general support.
This is really starting to get real. A few weeks left at NDI (they've already found a replacement for me), apartment hunting success, and signing off on my commitment to serve. I am so ready for this.
I feel you on the whole health insurance, tax forms, and retirement thing. I definitely called my mom :)
ReplyDelete