Everyone jokes about students being poor and, to be honest, it’s pretty justified. Nights out, paying for food and bills, as well as studying full-time leaves barely any time for yourself, let alone working. Even then, you will have at least two days a week where you can work and you won’t earn that much. It was made really obvious at the start of my university experience that everyone around me seemed to have a lot more money than I did. Here was what it was like for me to have no cash at university.
Isolating
I want to start by saying I’ve never been great at saving money. I worked a lot before moving to university, but I was only on set hours each week. I also wasn’t eligible for the maximum amount of student finance.
Often I found the money to go out with my friends. But I was always conscious of what I was spending. Not a day went by where I felt comfortable financially. My friends constantly wanted to go out for food or drinks or to do something fun. While I always tagged along, I found myself spending as little money as possible. I would often go out without spending a penny, even if it meant I was the odd one out. In fact, looking back on it I was always the odd one out.
My friends were great about this and never said anything to me about it. However, I couldn’t help but make it obvious that I was struggling financially. I knew that, if I needed any help from them, I’d definitely get it. But I hate asking people for money, so I never did.
Helpless
It felt weird to know I was financially unstable. I tried to apply for jobs while I was studying, but nothing really worked for me. A lot of places wanted me to stay over the summers, which meant never seeing my family or going home. I eventually made the decision to not get a job at the expense of feeling pretty low about my financial situation.
It got to me a lot, and I felt as though nobody could relate to what I was going through. Everyone around me seemed to be doing so well with money, as well as having lots of it. I just didn’t relate to them at all. It was really upsetting and made me feel so small. I felt like the only person in the world dealing with it.
Embarrassing
I felt embarrassed about my financial situation. Unlike my flatmates and friends, I wasn’t able to treat myself to some drinks on a night out, or a nice new outfit. I was so low on money but so determined to not let it stop me having a good time. I tried my best, but it was always in the back of my mind.
It felt really humiliating being the person who was always saying ‘I can’t spend any money’, or ‘I would but I don’t have enough’. No one ever made me feel bad about it, yet I always felt bad and awkward being ‘that person’. It also felt embarrassing knowing that all my friends managed to have so much more money than me. I’ve always been raised not to discuss money with people, so I never really knew how or why they had so much. I always assumed it was student finance. But they were probably just better at saving than I was.
What I learnt
Although at the time I clearly struggled, I understood that it wasn’t everything to have money. However, at university, pretty much everything you do is related to spending. I genuinely didn’t leave home with enough money saved, and this was one of my biggest mistakes.
It wasn’t my fault that I couldn’t have any more student finance, but there was also nothing I could do about it. I hated how much I compared myself to others and their situations. Mainly because I never really knew what people were going through. But also, the effect it had on me and my mental health. If you are concerned about money the way I have described here, I highly recommend discussing it with your family. If you feel unable to, perhaps talk to your university counsellor or careers advisor.
Also, perhaps I was too picky about working. Of course I made the decision not to because it would take up any spare time, plus my summers and reading weeks. But, I know now that it would have definitely made a positive impact on my time at university. This is something I recommend doing if you are really struggling. Be aware that some places will want you to stay to work throughout summer though.
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