Being in college is supposedly the best years of your life and the poorest.

Sometimes I think that I live in denial of being poor because I still manage to do things that require a fair amount of money. However, each time I splurge I’m sacrificing a great deal for only a day of pleasure.

Spending money on one thing, such as going to the movies, might result into me eating beans and rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week. Spending on traveling would mean to put new clothes on hold or just create new ones from old t-shirts you wore in high school.

The sad part is that the things I’m acquiring a taste for or have interest in are all considered inexpensive, but it’s a great expense for me because I’m a broke college student and my rent almost eats up my entire check!

The unfortunate part of all is that I love the finer things in life, and I do not think that I should be denied that access. It’s not like I want to fly first class to Fiji, I just want to be able to go shopping one day (something I haven’t done in awhile) or ordering an actual drink at a restaurant rather then water with lemon.

The good thing is that being a poor college student also gives you the opportunity to be creative on outside of school activities that doesn’t require money. For one, you would find most students throwing house parties in their small apartment because turning your big empty space called the kitchen/dining/living room into a dance floor is accessible. The park starts to become your number one spot for a romantic get-a-way, and having flex dollars is living the good life. You have all access to pizza, wings, and the non-home baked cookies at the sit-in, oh yea not to mention a Blimpie sandwich.

When I look at how much I make in a year, it’s sad to know it’s the same amount or less then what some people make on average in a month. Now, I’m good for stretching out my dollar but, I’m sick of making sacrifices. I would like to go out to eat at a nice restaurant without feeling guilty for spending that money and provide a good tip. Or better yet, spend my rent money on myself.

When I make food at home I wish I could actually pull up a chair sit down at a table to eat and wipe my mouth with a napkin. I also wish that my bed wasn’t my guest bed, couch, chair, kitchen table or storage space. One day I would actually like to take a bath rather then a shower. Standing up in a small tiny box where the water has no place to go but on your head makes me fill closed in. Not to mention it’s entirely too difficult to shave in such a small space.

This is the life I live, which may not seem that bad but when you have lived a comfortable pampered life, for most of your years, transitioning to mediocre conditions creates an intense feeling of wanting more. I feel like not having enough money is this big dark rain cloud that hovers above my head that strikes down on me every time I look into a store window. So I bother not to even looking at stores or walk past restaurants, so I can still see the sunshine in all of this. 

However, I am learning to the value of the dollar, how to be humble and how to appreciate all the wonderful things I have now, even though it’s not much. It’s safe to say I’m sick of living the poor life, but the good thing is it’s temporary (well at least I think it is).  

• Aasiya Townsell