For those who don’t know—which is most of the people reading this probably— I am a college student. As of a couple weeks ago, my university and many in the state, approved a tuition increase. Increase. Let that sink in. As expensive as it is already to attend any college, they’ve gone and upped the price again. Now I definitely recognize I am privileged in the way my tuition is taken care of already but damn.
I’m twenty years old, have a job, and live with my parents so overall I’m not doing too bad. I am getting my first taste of adulting though and it is bitter. I have a phone bill, a car note, and insurance and it’s not fun. A few months ago, I started experiencing this phenomenon where I’d have severe anxiety when tasked with leaving my house alone. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why it took me over ten minutes to work up the nerve to go anywhere alone. All I knew was that this amorphous fear was slowly taking over my life. I couldn’t even go on walks in the neighborhood anymore because of it. Then on March 14th I typed this into my notes app as I went through my ritual of standing in front of the door, fully dressed with a frozen heart stuck in my throat: “I’m afraid to leave my house when I don’t have money”. It clicked in that moment. I get so afraid that something will happen to me, and I’ll need money—that I don’t have honestly. I’m trapped in this cycle of getting paid and feeling secure for a matter of time then feeling as if the floor has vanished when my account empties.
I grew up rather comfortable but now as a young adult in an era where costs for everything are skyrocketing and it’s harder to get a job with a livable wage (especially since literally NOBODY wants to hire people) most days I worry about money. Yes I have a roof over my head, clothes—lots of clothes, food, and a car; but I’m living check to check essentially. It’s embarrassing to admit it, but my account has hit negative digits more times than I’ll ever say aloud.
I’ve already seen online how people think that the middle class is slowly being eliminated, soon to only be the haves and have-nots and I’m inclined to agree. It’s scary to be financially unstable when all my life I’ve never struggled. Due to living so comfortably all this time, I’ve developed such carefree and luxurious spending habits that now I find it hard to manage my money. I could never really do it but when things where cheaper I could afford to do a lot of shopping. Now I do even less shopping—but have even less money somehow.
But yeah, no government set livable wage or taxes on billionaires is a great idea. The lower classes will adapt or die trying, I guess.