Your First Year Cash Flow, Yo

Money. Oh, the stress one person can gain from worrying about it. It is an important part of getting to university and enjoying yourself while you are there.

Before you go to university, you should try to research as many scholarships as possible and apply for them. The time you spend will be well worth it. The price tag on university is a big one and it goes way beyond just tuition and housing fees. There are your books which can be astronomically costly and there is also the cost of going to campus dances, going out for a friend’s birthday dinner, buying what you need at the drug store, and dealing with those surprise notices informing you that you owe more money to the university. Any financial support that you can get before you make the transition will help you out in the long run.

I went into university with a part time job which I anticipated would help pay for all my expenses while I was there. I only worked two evenings a week but soon found it too much. I decided to leave my job in order to make time for my friends, myself and most importantly my grades. One of the biggest differences I noticed when I made the transition from high school to university is that you become even busier than you ever imagined. The schoolwork just piles up. In high school I could manage a job but in university, it seems almost impossible. I realized having good grades and a degree was more important than a minimum wage part time job. Leaving my job also freed up time to join a recreational volleyball team, which is a sport I had never played, and gave me time to spend quality time with my new friends.

So how did I manage without a job? I had a little bit of money in my bank account but my “cash flow” was cut off. I was on a meal plan so I tried as hard as I could to only eat at places that took my meal card and I tried not to touch my debit card. I had to stop shopping completely. No more new clothing and no more new toys. I quickly found out how things add up. Needing new conditioner or cold medicine was all my responsibility for me to purchase and no longer my parents’ responsibility.

I stuck to a weekly budget and tried to use as little money as possible. Soon, I was dreaming of getting conditioner under the Christmas tree and a kettle to boil my water. I looked for opportunities to go to free events like speaking engagements and for free food such as cupcakes that a department of the university was giving out. Surprisingly, there are a lot of events that come with the free tag attached and lots of opportunities to find free food. I find that the university recognizes that we are students first and we do not have time to work and make a lot of money. We lead the simple life of a university student.

My mom always told me, even if your friends act like they have a lot of money to spend- they really don’t. All university students are just as broke as you are.