My mom is giving me the silent treatment

I (F21) am currently in university taking courses for the summer. I worked throughout the school year but during the summer, my job’s hours did not fit into my schedule and I am also studying for the LSAT so there wasn’t time to work. I largely depend on loans and support myself as I go to university across the country from my parents.

On to my mom (F48). Because I couldn’t afford to pay for the LSAT (summer loans aren’t offered) and couldn’t qualify for the fee being waived because of my parents’ income levels, she paid the fee for me which I was very grateful for.

Due to my lack of working hours and dwindling remnants of my loan, I am not sure when I will be able to pay her back. I have been applying for other jobs with more availability hopefully but still no luck. She texted me on Sunday about it and I explained the situation to her but she was unhappy about it and stopped talking to me entirely.

For further context, I’ve always looked up to my parents a lot and performed at my best academically and when working. I do not like asking them for help and I try to be as frugal as possible. I eat two meals a day to save as the money I do have goes to my groceries which are quite pricey in Canada. I am ultimately a broke college student currently but have consistently worked part-time or during summer until this one because of the scheduling issue. The loans are thin because of residence and tuition and limited due to the fact they consider parental income, similarly to the LSAT. I’ve been looking into avenues to avoid this but I do not think it is something my parents would like.

I’ve sent her messages but she’s left me on read. It is now Thursday. I feel very nauseous and anxious and am unable to sleep as I normally call her every day. I keep trying to calm myself down but it is continuously getting worse. Once again, I would rather not have asked for help at all, but I will pay her back the moment I start working again. What do I do in the meantime? How do I handle this and feelings of anxiety/stress?

Posted Jun 11, 2026, 2:42 AM UTC

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