Now, before reading, let’s take a moment to preface the heavily opinionated viewpoints on two juxtaposed lifestyles. There’s nothing wrong with being affluent, and having that affluence transfer into a way of making life easier for some. There’s nothing wrong with being affluent in college, or having your parents wealth disperse into your bank account in monthly amounts that go to pretty much anything that you can desire. Nobody can choose whether or not they’re born into a wealthy or destitute. What there is a problem with is being poor in college, and even with the silver lining of enhanced frugality coming as a result, nobody should have to worry about starvation in an attempt to better themselves from already less than desireable foundations.
Something commonly agreed upon by the majority of the world, or in other words roughly 50 students at USF that I’ve asked, is that a college education does not find itself solely developed in a classroom. Yes, there are the unfortunate amount of nights spent delving into the possibilities of chemical compounds, or certain societal structures, but a majority of social development can be seen in a situation that is so unique. It’s a situation in which you’re somewhat of an adult, but you’re not enough of an adult to where you have to worry about the repercussions of drinking heavily before a sporting event.
It’s almost like being slipped slowly into a stream of responsibility, with the aide of your parents funding as a floaty. It’s an ideal situation, and anybody in their rational mind would choose such a safe option. Now recreate that scene, only instead of being slipped into the stream, you’re thrown in and told swim. That’s essentially what it’s like being a student in college with very little funding and a myriad of things to pay for. Tuition, books, food, housing, extracurriculars, all of these things tend to add up quite fast when you don’t have to look at the numbers.
Having said this, I don’t personally find it an excuse to not attempt to grow due to lack of funds. Obviously, it’s not the most pleasant situation having to click the accept option on a federal student loan, or having to work nights to help keep the pantry stocked. At the risk of sounding cliche, however, there’s some good that can come from this. Unfortunately, there’s a very slim chance that at any point the United States will become a country in which college tuition and living is funded by the state. The only factor that can change whether or not your children will have it any easier is by having to bite the bullet and deal with the things today that few others want to, so that later on there won’t be as much tribulation. It’s an age old, and heavily banal statement that makes me somewhat want to drop out when hearing, although it’s truth value seems to stand.
Not to confuse things too much, but being poor in any sense is pretty terrible. The value of learning how to handle your money effectively does not seem to be outweighed by knowing that rent is going to be paid, or that your next meal won’t consist of plain white rice and a quarter can of beans. The best way to deal with the situation, however, is to attempt to find some sort of positive quality in a struggling environment. No story of heroism and greatness ever began with, “My father’s trust fund had just gotten me a new Segway!” Instead, they all begin with the assumption that something is missing. Money, emotional stability, women, something that cannot be found innately, but can be given if a lucky card is drawn. The ability to realize that any of those things are obtainable and to find enough self-worth to strive for them, is the foundation for any great story.
