Poor Students

The university where I am doing graduate work has mostly rich kids living off of their parents. Well, that is the undergraduate. They drive really new and expensive cars and have all the trendy gear attached to them, the cell phone, the ipod, the laptop, and things I am not familiar with or have ever seen but they seem to play games with these things. But then there are a few who are there because they work part time jobs, get government loans and grants and they live day to day. I see these kids and know them and their life. They are who I was years ago. One guy can’t afford to buy a dictionary; it’s out of his budget until he gets his school money for the spring. I looked and had an extra one, not a great one, but it was okay so I gave it to him, secretly, after class.

He tells me he lost his job, had to miss work to study. His rent is paid, though and he has some food, but he will probably lose his electricity before next semester begins. Why is it so hard to get an education? The government should celebrate students like John. He is the first from his family to go to college, one of the few who even graduated high school, and now he is struggling to survive just so he can finish college. It makes me sad to see single mothers, fathers, and unsupported kids, trying to struggle through school. I offer them food, buy them lunch, and tell them to come by my house for supper, but that isn’t enough. He makes really good grades and loves school and told me he won’t drop unless he starts to starve. I contacted the financial aide people on his behalf and they said they can only do what the grants and loans allow them to, but that the churches often are a resource. Today, I am going to call the churches and see if one of those people walk the walk and if they do, maybe they will take care of John for a few weeks. It could happen.