I saw an article this morning titled “If You Don’t Have a Job in College, You Can’t Complain About College Stress” and I have to offer my full disagreement. Not having a job at the moment doesn’t make me spoiled, nor does it make me any less worried about money.

“98% of my stress stems from being worried about college.”

So does mine. As someone with generalized anxiety, I get stressed out almost everything, but money is definitely a big one. My biggest fear is graduating with my degree and not being able to get a job that pays enough for me to sustain myself.

“All you have to do is go to class.”

And do homework, and apply for jobs, and attempt to find internships that actually pay me for labor. I can’t even tell you how many nights I’ve spent up working well past midnight.

“If you are shopping at all, I don’t understand it.”

Because it’s not like people have necessities that they need to get, like medicine or food. It’s cheaper for me to buy food in bulk from a wholesale store than to buy food on campus and use up all my meal plan with three weeks left in the semester.

“You have no idea what time management or money management even is.”

Yes, because as a student I have absolutely no idea how to manage my time (eye roll). And it’s not like I could have possibly ever had a job before at home, or have parents that taught me good monetary habits.

“You have unlimited time to be social.”

I’ll give you this one, but it’s mostly because I live with my best friends and spend all of my free time online. But really, between school and my club activities, that time is still limited.

“Because your major is not that hard.”

This is just ridiculous. Just because my major doesn’t necessarily have the time commitment of a nursing degree doesn’t mean that it’s easy. My major is ninety-nine percent theory and that isn’t easy for everyone. I personally learn better through hands-on activities.

“You can go out to eat without ordering water and lettuce.”

I don’t go out for dinner. That doesn’t happen, unless my parents are visiting or we’re going out for someone’s birthday, and in that case, we always go somewhere cheap.

“Because I don’t understand how you don’t feel bad.”

I don’t understand what gave you the impression that I don’t. Taking money from my parents makes me feel absolutely awful. I had a job at the beginning of the semester that I had to leave because of my anxiety, and I felt absolutely awful for becoming dependent on my parents again. I avoid taking money from them as much as I can. This point is just…so wrong.

“Because you are spoiled and there is no other way to say it.”

Again, so ignorant. I worked all through high school. My first summer at my job, I had to bike five miles across town every day to get there. It wasn’t until the summer after senior year that I could drive myself there. I absolutely am not spoiled at all. Like I said, I don’t take money from my parents unless I absolutely need to.

My lack of a job has nothing to do with being spoiled or not wanting a job. I’ve sent out hundreds of job applications in my area and haven’t heard anything. I'm still a stressed college student whether or not I'm working (and, believe me, I wish I was.)