Discarded: America’s Invisible Students
A piece on a silent epidemic taking shape in America — dormlessness
By now, we all know that the modern-day concept of American college is a scam. Our Federal Government has developed an avaricious scheme through our Collegiate System. Step 1: We are taxed. I have no problem with taxes. If you want goods and services for society, pay your share.
Step 2: The idea of college is promoted through the media and early education system. We are sold on the concept of using college as mobility to a better life. The idea is to create a narrow sense of absolutism — sort of how years of advertisements have trained people to believe dish soap is the only substance that can clean dishes. If you want to have a good life, go to college. It is a sentiment that is deeply ingrained into our society.
Step 3: The taxes collected from citizens is loaned back for the sake of people purchasing a hyperinflated, subpar product. This step involves understanding your client. Our Government understands the astronomical debt crisis we face as a country. They are also aware of why college is in such high demand.
American’s are accustomed to wage stagnation, and little to no economic mobility. Therefore, the last few generations of citizens have become desperate. What could explain the reasoning behind Americans becoming so desperate to buy any home that is listed? Equity. Why else would Americans spend thousands on college degrees that continue to rise exponentially in price? Economic security. Or, at least the perception of economic security. The risk to obtain these products is being indebted to the Federal Government or financial institutions. Some of our citizens have come up with creative solutions to overcome this financial pitfall. Others, have opted to take the approach of do what is necessary by any means.
The Scam Within The Scam
This past week, I had a discussion with my father regarding my student loan payment plan. I rhetorically asked my father why my undergraduate degree was so expensive — you know, since instate schools are often marketed as being affordable. He gave an obvious, yet surprising response. “Well, the real estate is expensive…” he said. When we think of college expenses, tuition and books are often the first things that come to mind. We tend to gloss over housing because its a necessity that we have to accept — until we see the final bill. My dad followed up his response by calling collegiate real estate a “scam”. From the cheaply built dorms that are wildly over priced to the off campus slum lords that charge handsomely for a decrepit shoebox, I would say my dad was correct in his assessment. Many students are beginning to take note of this scam called college housing, and are taking matters into their own hands by going dormless.
Dormlessness
We often hear of homelessness, but the dormlessness? According to a survey, 16% of respondents from four year institutions stated they experienced homelessness. Additionally, 3 out of 5 students surveyed experienced housing insecurity. Upon hearing these statistics I thought about some of the students I studied architecture with.
During my sophomore year in an architectural studio course, one student designed and built a wooden bunkbed in the back of our class. Students in architectural courses are known to spend late hours working on projects and occasionally sleeping in their studio spaces. However, this particular student would use the space to sleep in studio on a nightly basis until the college found out and told him he could no longer do so.
In the same architectural program, I became fond of another student I believed to be homeless. His name was Phillipe. He wore the same clothes every day — black shoes with holes, black pants and a black T-Shirt (even in the dead of winter). He liked bugging me during every class we had together. Architecture is a depressing field to major in, so Phillipe became a bright spot during school. After class, we would walk and converse on my way home, often ending our conversations a block away from my house. One day I asked him where he lived on campus. Oddly, he smile and replied that it didn’t matter. I wasn’t sure if this was his attempt to remain a bit of a mystery, but I continued to ask him only to receive the same answer for years. One could conclude that he may have been one of those 16% of students who experiences homelessness.
Dormless students have to lay their heads somewhere at night. But where? Students will resort to using shelters, motels or random places they find on campus. However, for a lot of dormless students, vehicles have literally become their vehicle for upward mobility. There is a growing trend of students and professors using their cars to live in while performing their educational duties.
Lets get this straight — we live in the most prosperous country in human history while experiencing the greatest technological boom in mankind … yet, we have a growing epidemic of our youth, seeking an education, resorting to homelessness to avoid indebtedness.
Imagine being a 6'2" freshman crammed in your Toyota Camry needing legroom while studying for a precalc class you already took in high school. In addition, you need to be cognizant of campus and local parking regulations. Not to mention the noise from rowdy students. Oh, and the weather. Could you imagine being a dormless student in Texas studying in your car during the early Fall Semester?
University Solutions
I must admit, to combat this hidden epidemic, our nation’s colleges and universities have stepped up. For its collegiate population of young adults, Texas Tech constructed one of the largest water parks in the entire country. To fight housing insecurity, The University of Missouri has built an indoor river grotto and beach club…in Missouri. In order for dormless students to have greater access to food, High Point University built an on campus steakhouse. Boston University developed “luxury condo” dorms. These are just a few of the many examples in which our prestigious universities have stepped up and made college campuses livable spaces for all its residents. Amazing. Truly amazing.
The Bottom Line
Academic institutions pride themselves as being progressive havens for socio economic diversity, equality and a beacon of hope for young people. But through its modern day business and pro-profit model it has developed through the assistance of our Government, our universities no longer function as intended. Year by year, our education system is forcing citizens to make extreme decisions in regards to their futures.
As of today, American universities are criminally overpriced daycare programs for upper middle class and rich people to figure out early what they want to do with their lives. These institutions greatly benefit our Government, overpaid coaches who get ego boost by yelling at young people, college administrators, neighboring liquor stores and predatory landlords. For those less fortunate, your options include going into major debt, or taking extreme routes to make ends meet.
We have an epidemic of invisible students that are a symptom of a major problem in our country. The issue is apathy spawned from those who take advantage of others who seek comfort. Our institutions see an profitable opportunity to take advantage of its citizens who are desperate to create lives of comfort and prosperity. This issue is affecting our nation in all areas of life. Our mental health is greatly impacted. Our ability to secure comfortable living quarters are negatively altered. Our relationships are changed. The list goes on and on. If our institutions continue its abuse and degradation of its citizens, then our society may become a place entirely unsuitable to live for the vast majority of its people.
