how can i calm down?

You are a little late getting to the excited phase for the traditional solutions, like getting a job or working with the financial aid office. Got any credit? Parents got any? What have you got that can be sold?

Chill baby. They can't take blood from a stone. There's million in your shoes right now. The economy's in the crapper and no one can pay their bills. You'll be OK!

First. You need to calm down. Working yourself into a panic will not resolve anything.

Second. Contact your creditor / college. Tell them that you have been unable to scrape the money together. Ask for an extension that would allow you to complete the semester and to pay off the debt by working a summer job.

Third. If they say no, consider your other options. Talk to your parents and explain that you don't have the money necessary to complete your semester. If they cannot help and you have no other friends or relatives that are in a position to help, what is the worst that can happen? You won't get credit for your semester.

Fourth. You learn a valuable lesson and you get on with your life. That might require that you get a job, live as economically as possible, and go back to school when you can afford to do so, i.e., when you have all your ducks lined up. Many people have to juggle school and work in order to get ahead in life. You can do it too.

Explain what you mean by 'if you don't pay by the end of the week you can't take your finals.' I'm in college right now as well, explain more and maybe I could give some help.

Great thoughts - also if they won't let you take your finals, but you finished everything else could you get an incomplete and then allow you to take the finals say after the summer after you work and earn the money?

I would talk with the register or some one else at the college to see what you can work out. Most univerisites will try to work with you - especially as $500 isn't a whole lot to them.

Make a friend in the financial aid office. Tell them your situation and ask if there are any student jobs on campus available to you so that you can pay it off. Even if you have not used financial aid before, I find the people who work in the office to be most helpful in these situations. There is often a lot of "left over" grant and scholarship money laying around just waiting for someone to apply for it.

If you go to the U of Wisconsin Madison, you could use this technique.