The Trivialization of a Broke College Student

It’s become common practice to make fun of college students.
I mean, why not? Private Universities cost upwards of >$30,000 a year, and public universities are on the rise too.
That, in tandem with student loans, a 20 hour/week cap on student employment, and rent/cost of living/etc, make being a broke college student almost a guarantee.

However, it’s time to put an end to turning it into a joke.

A bit of context: I am a 19 year old Mechanical Engineering student currently attending a well know Technical Institute. In the past year, I realized living in a physically and emotionally abusive household would no longer be okay.
Quickly following being severely injured by my father and younger sister, It was time to move out.
I dropped communication with them, cut off all financial assistance I was receiving from my father, and decided to depend solely on myself. This was by no means a lonely journey. The support of friends and extended family made going back to school possible, and I cannot be more grateful.

That being said: I’m broke as fuck.

Yep. I said it. I have only $3,000 to my name and that has to support rent, a car, and living expenses until the summer.

Many students face this situation too, where they scrape every last penny they can, all to pour sixty-seven cents of gas in their tank, or they find themselves eating ramen on a daily basis to avoid absolute starvation. When talking about this with someone, they used the term “Financially Selective Starvation”.

Financially Selective Starvation- The act of refusing to eat, in order to save money for other expenses (rent, books, etc.)

In essence, please, stop trivializing the struggle so many students find themselves facing every day. Stop saying “Lol im a broke college student I can afford that” when you have a loving mom and dad who pay your rent, tuition, and gave you a credit card for going to college.

Please stop appropriating the challenges those are going through, in order to fit in with the “broke college students” and appreciate the opportunities life has granted you.