The Poor Life

You know all those complaints about being poor in college.  Everyone's excuse for not having something they need is "but I'm just a poor college student so I don't have ______." I am guilty of using this phrase myself.  And who can doubt that this is true?

Oh bologna. Living in college is about choices.  Big ones like: Mac or PC?
Okay, that's not such a life changing decision.  How about Business major or Biology major?  On campus student or off campus?  Buy a car or buy another semester of classes?

Unfortunately, we are all still kids!  I don't care what the government says or what society says about becoming an adult, I truly believe we are still kids.  What do I know of living in the real world?  I have my meals, my friends, my job, my bank, and my classes all within walking distance.  What do I know of taxes and owning a house, running a business or cooking for a family?  I'm still a kid.  We are still kids.
This is why we get into trouble.  This is why we are poor, we haven't made enough of our own mistakes yet to learn that they are mistakes.  We still have our childish desires; I don't want to buy that book, I want to buy that movie trilogy that just came out in a DVD box set!  I don't like this old phone, I'm going to buy the new Iphone5 because it is so cool!  Look! Touch screen!
Who has taught us life skills?  If we are blessed, out parents teach us what they know and they prepare us as best they can for what is to come.  But society doesn't help a lick; society takes advantage of our inexperience.

Need money kids?  Have a credit card!  Have one already? Here is five more on us, just to be safe.  It will help you build your credit, so use it often!
Kids, you are an adult now, all those things your parents wouldn't let you have are now yours to buy!  Here we'll do you a favor and mark them up ten dollars and then say they are on sale 10% off! What a bargain!
Oh child, you don't have any fashion sense do you?  Here, come on over to our store, we have the best back to school clothes available just for you.

And who looks out for us: the small, vulnerable section of society?  No one, we are adults now.  Isn't it great!  All our life, so far, we dream about being in the real world and now that we are, well...
So we make our adult decisions, live our adult life, and be an adult.  We make mistakes, we learn from them (or don't), and we deal with the consequences.  That is truly what college is about.

So enjoy your Iphones if you must, your just-came-out laptops, your parties, your shopping trips, and your late-night food extravaganzas; but be wise about it. Please?