For college students, having to spend absurd amounts of money is an unfortunate fact of life. Whether it's the exorbitant costs we pay just to attend school, the wallet-killing textbook prices or just food expenses, it's hard for college students just to break even financially.
Tuition costs are the most egregious example of this. Before we even take a single college class, we have to spend an ungodly amount of cash just for the privilege to walk on campus.
Even the students who receive scholarships or financial aid are at risk of this. They're just one bad semester away from losing their safety net.
Once you've secured the cash to attend college, you have to deal with the ridiculous costs of textbooks. Often times, students will spend over $500 per semester on books they will use for three months, then never touch again.
Considering that some professors barely even use the textbooks they expect students to buy for their classes, many students don't get their money's worth.
Even after the dust settles on tuition and textbooks, students still have to spend a lot of money on everyday life. Just look at how much money we spend on food every year.
Obviously, there are a lot of eating options for UB students. When you walk through the Student Union, you are bombarded with restaurants and dining shops. The amount of companies waiting to take your cash is staggering.
Unfortunately, if you want to eat healthy, you're going to have to spend a little more. The cheapest options come from the most fattening places.
If you want to gorge yourself on Burger King, you can have a feast without spending more than $5. On the other hand, if you want something healthy, a salad from Edgy Veggies costs roughly $6, while a drink from Jamba Juice is pretty close to $5.
Simply put, eating fattening food is cheaper than eating healthy food. That's why so many freshman gain weight when they start college. At a time when you can't spare any money, it's easier to save cash and get fat than try to keep eating healthy.
Luckily, there are mitigating factors for these money pits we keep falling into. The option to rent textbooks save students a fair amount of money, while the Snacking Tuesdays program in the Wellness Center teaches students how to make healthy snacks from home.
Also helping the cause is the Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities, which provides financial help to students with disabilities. I have been part of this program since my freshman year, and I can honestly say it has saved me countless money on textbooks.
Also, as someone who doesn't drive, the free bus passes I get from them make it a lot easier for me to attend class on a day-to-day basis.
There are services that make the financial burden of college easier, but it's still a struggle. As tuition rates keep going up and textbook prices keep getting higher, things don't look to improve anytime soon.
Many students work jobs while attending class and have to choose between studying for tests or having a social life. When you're in the prime of your life and you want to have fun, but you're also worried about the future, that can be a tough choice to make.
Money is a serious problem for college students. Whether it's not having enough, or working all the time just to make some, it tends to run our lives. College is supposed to give us the skills and education for us to make money in the future, but it doesn't do much for us in the present. The sad truth is, for many students, being broke is a way of life.
