You Can’t Eat Ambition
One Student's Journey To Be Independent In College
One Student's Journey To Be Independent In College
MargarervMargaret’s
I grew up in a comfortable, middle class home; four bedrooms, two baths, a big yard for the dogs. Money was not a topic of discussion at my family table or a thought in my head as a child. Now as a young adult struggling to be financially independent, I am getting a crash course in finance gained through personal experience. I have made sacrifices. There were times I paid for feminine supplies over a metrocard to get to class and I ate soup for weeks on end because it was the only thing I could afford to eat.
As a college student, there is no thought as horrifying as that of my degree not helping me get a job once I graduate. But that is reality that many young people are facing today, myself included. Young workers under the age of 25 are more than twice as likely to be unemployed during economic recessions, and the unemployment rates of minorities and women are considerably higher for high school and college graduates.
Between classes, homework, waitressing, and an unpaid internship, I didn’t have any time or extra money to worry about saving for the future or building a cushion for future emergencies. My priorities were paying rent, passing my classes, and staying healthy. I couldn’t afford to get sick, even under my parents insurance I was still charged a $70 copay for a regular check up at City MD; which was unaffordable at the time. Throughout that semester I didn’t feel like myself. My body constantly ached from being tired, overworked, and eating a poor diet.
Since I was a child it has been drilled into me that what I eat presently will affect me later in life. When I was younger I didn’t heed that warning; but in this past year healthy eating has become a major concern of mine. How you handle your health in your 20s sets the precedent for how you will age and handle your health later on in life. The habits we make in our early years have significant impact and long term effects on us throughout our lives.
Part of paying your dues to the world is being a broke college student and eating crappy food, it’s practically a rite of passage but more and more this phase is lasting longer, sometimes past college. Many college students and graduates are struggling to make enough money to provide for themselves and for those who are struggling, the health effects of eating poorly can be detrimental.
One of my friends who is currently attending college is malnourished because she cannot afford to eat consistently, let alone eat healthy. Another friend was recently diagnosed with diabetes due to her unhealthy eating habits because the food she can afford to eat that fills her is sugary junk food. Both these women come from well off families with modest life styles but are supporting themselves and are financially independent. These health issues that they face now in their 20s have the potential to significantly impact the rest of their lives. These are not just statistics that affect random people. Real life people in every walk of life face these struggles.
Experiencing all of this; eating healthy, health care, trying to afford an education, has opened my eyes to the world. Even when I have felt at my lowest I have always had a support system and people around me to bring me up as well the knowledge that if push came to shove, my family would not let me drown. Others are not so lucky which is why I, as an individual, fight for things that not only make my life better but also to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.
There is always something within yourself that you can give to help others, even kind words can go a long way. I don’t have the answers for every broke college student out there but I do know that people who are united, that love and fight for each other unconditionally, will only bring each other up. If we all love each other, the only way to go is up.