Struggling to find a summer job? So is Lizzy Pennock.
Lizzy Pennock gives you the lowdown on the workings of the Internet.
Baffled by the Internet? Lizzy Pennock explores its mysterious meanderings
Lizzy Pennock explains why STYCs often get an undeserved bad name
On arrival to York in October I placed several student cook books on the shelf in my room. Ever since, they have remained pristine, unmoved and slowly become dusty. My first term was mainly spent eating microwaved jacket potatoes, fried eggs and toasties. This term I have experimented into pasta and sauces, but I continue to lack in cookery performance. But don’t let that fool you into believing I can’t cook. The truth is, I just think there are much better things to do than to waste hours cooking a posh dish when a good hearty omelette is just as good!
An observation I have noticed is that student’s eating habits often dictate their background. For example, the three upper-middle class people on my floor have the best equipment, the best ingredients and the snazziest dishes. They have also all been to Michelin star restaurants and are all from London or the surrounding areas. I am not digging them, but I think it’s a funny observation. One of them laughed at my cutlery in the first few weeks, commenting it was “token”. Why thank you for laughing at my comedic cutlery Mr. Student-who-has-Royal-Worcester-crockery, but I’m pretty sure I’m not the only student who shops at IKEA!
Whenever they get their huge woks out or leave their complicated espresso makers on the sideboard, it strikes me as all so unnecessary. When did students become so well stocked? It’s a rite of passage to live a cheap student life. And don’t worry, by cheap I don’t mean scummy. I mean live cheap and cheerfully, on a budget and not let it worry you. Students get off on moaning to each other about not having enough money to go out, but then just going out anyway and living life to the full, thinking: “Fuck it, I’m only a student once and I’m never gonna get such good rates on loans like these again!”. Although saying that, some people on my floor don’t even have loans! Why do they shy away from getting loans when they have great rates and are an easy way of gaining independence? Nonetheless, these are moments that we will all cherish when we’re successful adults, looking back and thinking how trampy we used to be. Knowing about how much we have grown, with grown being the operative word.
For me, university is about thriving on the minimum. It’s not about living off daddy’s money (not that I have daddy’s money to live off) but about having to buy everything on special offer, buying vodkat and cheap beer. It’s about pre-drinking loads in order to get drunk on as few drinks as possible when you end up going out. Sadly, it seems, shopping has taken over for many - expense is no longer a luxury but a necessity. University students are no longer forced to live out of a tin can for 3 years, but rely on a silver spoon.
I don’t care if you think I’m crap at my subject, or that I can’t write a good article to save my life, but the one thing that really grinds my gears is people looking at my microwaved lasagne and saying ‘eww’. I don’t need you to judge my food, as my food is an expression of everything I stand for. I am a lazy, cheap and an awesomely cheerful student, and I certainly don’t want you raining on my parade! And whilst you’re at it, don’t shove your salmon truffle platter in my face, it’s making my eyes cry.
But overall, I pity those people that feel the need for everything they buy to be expensive, because when they leave this place and work themselves, being able to finally afford all the things you’ve ever wanted won’t be special anymore, it won’t be a fulfilling existence. So for all you posh bitches out there, I say live independently. Trust me, you’ll have a good time.
Hahaha love it #13!
I hate it when people stereotype and generalise. It makes me sad that people are so narrowminded.
Though I do agree with #17 - people sometimes see student loans as "free money" - for example I have two friends who have their full student loan. One of them budgets really hard so they can pay rent, pay bills, eat and still have enough to go out on. My other friend - spends all his money on drink, xbox games, xboxs, moniters, computers, laptops, guitar hero (none of this an exaggeration) and then wonders why they don't have enough money for food and bills. Another one of my friends DOES live off Daddy's money (or Daddy's credit card) and he pays off anything they put on it - which I guess is the person you are aiming this article at.
I, on the other hand, do not live completely off my parents money - are you still attacking me too? Even though I still budget, buy cheap things and don't buy lots of crap with my student loan? Having a student loan doesn't mean you are independant for everyone and you can't just generalise. SOME people are bad with money, some people respect their parents for giving them the bit of money they can to help out - does that mean that the parents are doing the wrong thing?
I was brought up to budget properly, I put all my money in Microsoft Office and balance it every month and make sure I don't go over.
So next time you write an article like this, please try and see the other side of the arguement and dont be blind to the fact that you know best.
Get real, man. One of the benefits of university is meeting people from all kinds of social and economic backgrounds. From the sound of it, you're only reinforcing your own prejudices.
Also, people's financial situations and family backgrounds are much more complex than you think. I have a loan to cover my tuition fees, while my not-very-wealthy parents pay for my accommodation (because they want to help) and I pay for food/drink/luxuries out of my own savings from holdiay work. I budget, make my own meals (because it is cheaper) and can't afford to spend money on crap. Which box do I fit into in your rich/poor world?
P.S. If this meant to be satire, it's not very good.
Heaven forbid anyone should live differently to you.
23# is right. It's never as black and white as you have just made it out.
Thanks to the 2/25 who aren't anonymous. I don't understand the need.
Firstly #8 we're paying above inflation. Last year there were several months of negative inflation but I was paying 3% interest on my loan during that period. And we're paying the higher rate of inflation anyway. It's not great (but it's not relevant to the story).
I think it's harsh to insult those who live really well but at the same time I do get a little annoyed, personally, with people who laugh at those with worse crockery or who buy £2,000 bags whilst at university. It just seems like they're taking the piss a bit when half of us can't afford all our uni books.
Its not fair of people to laugh at more unfortunate people anyway - You'd think people you have grown up before coming to uni. Though I do agree with most of the comments, my parents pay for my accomodation but I pay for everything else and budget carefully on what I have 
Just appreciate what you have I guess
The diversity of students' financial arrangments and attitude towards careful (or not so careful) spending can lead to some bizarre situations.
For instance, because my relatively well-off parents pay for my accommodation, one of my friends (who lives purely on a loan) described me as "loaded". I thought this was a bit much as the day before that same friend had spent £60 on a single polo shirt, £30 on an x-box game and God knows how much attempting to drink his own body weight while in Gallery!!!
comment deleted by a moderator #1, I think you mean someone has a McCain Micro Chip on their shoulder!
You must log in to submit a comment.
Report