Quote Originally Posted by epiphany View Post
Considering that I have difficulty finding one part-time job, I think that it would be nearly impossible to find 3. And lazy? I am far from it, but thanks for making that assumption just like everyone else. I don't have any new clothes, either. I have been wearing the same ratty clothes for about 6 years now 'cause I have BEEN broke. I can't eat ramen OR Mac n' cheese because I have a gluten intolerance and that would make me so sick that I would be worthless.

I said it before and I will say it again: I have worked since I was 13 and I am still working. I'll lose this job soon because WSU didn't offer many students WS for next year. I will gladly take either part or full time work if someone offers it to me. But, hey. This isn't the 80's anymore, dude. Jobs aren't as abundant as they were during your golden years. I am happy that you were so privileged, but I am not.

And for those that think that student loans and grants can pay my expenses, you are trippin'. I already do without a car because I can't afford a car and insurance. My lazy butt walks, bikes and takes the bus year-round in the rain and snow. Try that for a while, it's not fun in the winter. I pay $500 a month for my rent in a small studio apartment and I don't have any extras like cable TV cause I can't afford it. I was awarded about 12,000 [[total with loans) in financial aid for next year and about 10,000 will go to paying tuition and even more towards books.

Not only is there no money left over to eat, there isn't money to pay my rent. I make about $600 a month with a part-time minimum wage work-study job. That BARELY covers my rent. And then there is my bus pass.

I don't get to go out. I don't get to go to restaurants. I don't even get to have friends because I am so freaking broke that I can't afford to do anything. I am pretty damn close to being homeless.

You do the math.

All of this ignorance makes me so angry. I have worked so hard my entire life and when it became increasingly difficult to find work I made the choice to go back to school. Excuse me for trying to make things better. Apparently I made a huge mistake. Since everyone treats me like such a loser, maybe I should just throw in the towel and live in the streets, cause I am pretty much about there anyway.
Epiphany, my heart goes out to you. I understand what you are going through. A lot of people don't understand just how expensive college has become. It may have been possible to work your way through it 25 years ago, but a lot has changed since then. The only reason some students are making it is because of their parents or they were fortunate to get scholarships. I don't believe for one minute that people are "pulling themselves up by their bootstraps" with these prices. I wish I could give you more advice.

This country should provide all of its citizens with food, shelter, and healthcare no matter what. In order for people to be successful they need SUPPORT. We are all human and we can only do so much with out help. As a nation we are moving backwards instead of forward. We are moving back to a time when only privileged people could afford to educate and advance themselves.