I am concerned that so many of my college-aged students and associates seem completely tapped out: they have two or three jobs, go to school full time... I can hardly believe they are doing any of their commitments much justice, since they tell me they don't have time to read, and sometimes demonstrate rather awful ethical choices about whether to cheat for the grade since they don't have time to learn.
I was lucky when I went to school: I got a scholarship, but I still had expenses, so I also worked. I just don't remember stretching myself so thin--I didn't have a car, didn't own a home, didn't have a credit card except for emergencies, and didn't shop or eat out much. Is it simply that students now seem to have a different expectation of how life works than I did? I was relatively unencumbered whenI was their age, and therefore free-er to make mistakes and explore my future before I got there.
What happened--why are so many of our college kids already at the same level of exhaustion as my middle-aged counterparts? It's a complicated question, I know, but I'd love some perspective--theory, conjecture, anecdotes--about your observations and/or experiences. I simply find it alarming, and have a few theories about an economy of dependence, but I wonder what others think.
I don't know...I think they
I don't know...I think they have the energy. I don't think that overextending will CAUSE unethical choices. That may be their EXCUSE after the fact, but MANY overextended college/medical school/etc. students work that hard and make sound ethical choices. Hell, many work that hard because of strong ethics.
At their age, I worked full time, rotating 3 or 4, 12 hours days, starting at 6am. Then, on my 3 or 4 days off, I worked for a family as a nanny. Then, I fit my college classes in at night, and for many semesters, shifted my working hours for some day classes (and worked at night). AND, since I still wanted to see my boyfriend and have fun, I packed my weekends with activities - museums, ski trips, concerts, sporting events - we checked the paper and hit whatever event was in town that weekend and did homework! Then, I took every opportunity to vacation in Europe on breaks. And I was happy!
Maybe that's why the insanity of being a working mom, years later, wasn't THAT shocking (I'll admit that it was still somewhat shocking - even in my younger days, nobody woke me every two hours at night).
But, even now, my kids expect a weekend adventure! We hit the museums, the snow, the planetariums and the desert mines, etc. I suppose that I am this way, because my mom did this for us when I was a kid. I always have several projects going. Our birthday parties are elaborate and I sew homemade Halloween costumes. I hate TV and I hate naps. My husband loves both and thinks that I'm crazy! But, he sure likes it when he comes home and finds that I've painted the living room and it looks sharp!
We have such limited time on this planet and I want to soak up as much as is humanly possible!
"Only a life lived for others, is the life worthwhile" - Albert Einstein
When I was in college, I
When I was in college, I thought there was no way tuition could keep going up at the rate it was. I thought eventually it would reach a plateau that people couldn't afford and universities would have to take note of it. I was wrong! College kids are largely overextended two or even three jobs to pay for school. It's funny because at state universities, the education is supposed to be as "free as possible". Sorry, but when you have to pay over $100 for a textbook that you won't be able to sell back - that's not "free as possible."
sure, fine, whatever
I agree with you
I agree with you flyerg...plus the cost of living has gone up.If you don''t live at home and rent an apartment with friends it still isn't as cheap as it was at one time.
We started a college fund for our child and boy do I hope time he goes to college it helps.....
Some small changes are being
Some small changes are being made in the marketplace to recognize how high education costs have escalated. While this doesn't impact a lot of kids....as of next year, Ivy League schools and a number of other top universities (private) have made vast and sweeping changes to their financial aid packages.
For anyone coming from a family earning under $100,000, tuition grants are all completely funded as a gift - NO student loans.
So essentially, a bright hard-working student from a modest family CAN go to Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, etc. and not be burdened with either having to work while in school or with having to re-pay loans upon graduation.
It's a small start.
Happy2BMommy, is a stay-at-home mom who just turned 40 (argh!) with a 6 yr. old daughter and a 5 yr. old son, and is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com living in Scottsdale.
I think we are forgetting
I think we are forgetting that many of these college students aren't just paying for the necessities. They are wearing Seven jeans, ($180), eating out at expensive places, partying like rock stars, buying expensive make-up, driving nice cars, lugging around Coach purses, trying to be like their favorite 18-24 celebs.
I would bet if they lived like college students "should," they may be able to go to school and have one job. I think having a part time job during school is good for managing time and being effective.
It's the same problem everywhere. People want everything without wanting to pay for it. I'm almost happy about hte ecomoic downturn; seems like people are getting realistic.
Brooke Romney is an unbalanced mom of three young boys who constantly has too much to do, and too little time. She writes the Mom Beat column for The Gilbert Republic.
Wow....who are you to say
Wow....who are you to say how anyone else "should" be living? I can't beleive anyone would say they were happy about an economic downturn - it sounds like you are envious about what you see other people with and feel like they don't deserve nice things so you mke snap judgements about how you think they are living. How do you know a person's financial situation just by looking at them? The coveted jeans could be secondhand, the expensive purses a gift - and the fact that they are working several jobs could be just to make rent. I am not sure how long it has been since you have actually had to support yourself, but these days a part time job is not going to pay the rent in even the cheapest of apartments, much less feed a bird! And the cost of tuition, books, and other incidentals is astronomical. Not everyone is able to qualify for a scholarship or have mommy and daddy pay their way.