Phewph. Well that was confusing.. Note to anyone coping with student loans in future: Make phonecalls prior to going out in the rain some distance to the bank you thought you'd have to deal with.

Luckily, this is what I did. I'd thought I'd have to bring things to M&T, as I remember we set things up to go through there.. but as it's pouring rain again today, I figured I'd call first and find out what I'd have to bring, or, hope against hope, I could do some on the phone. They told me they don't handle it there, to talk to my lender.
So, confused, I called the financial aid office at Fredonia, and the very friendly woman there told me it's run through nelnet, and gave me their number. Called, was on hold awhile, and then got things all set up through the phone and then their website. So yay! My loans are consolidated before the evil rate hike of doom! \0/

So it's only, y'know, just shy of $16,000 over my head (plus an eventual $5000 or so in interest, grr). But I'm still in my grace period until November, and even leaving it at the standard repayment rate, it's like $125/mo, which I'll be making in like half a week at the ice cream factory (and by November, I should have something better).

DO NOT FEAR STUDENT LOANS! I'm finding out they're really not that scary, they're meant to be friendly and reasonable. Which's good.


...I start work tomorrow. I'm nervous and worried and not at all sure how I'm going to cope with a 9-hr workday, when I've never worked more than.. well, rather, there was that one day I was sole custodian on-duty at Pearce, I think I was there for like probably 6 hours or something. But at least then I could wander around the building and amuse myself and things. Meh.