How can you work yourself into near death and still be broke? I am a full time student, but I also work full time at hospital. I was working 135 hours in a two week period in a span of 4 days a week. I was constantly exhausted. I ended up fainting at work and being diagnosed with acute exhaustion and a bleeding stomach ulcer! My pay check comes and it is only about half of what I made, minus taxes, insurance, etc.
I have a lot of loan and credit card debt like most twenty something Americans today. Our parents didn't quite have to suffer this burden. The situation that young adults face today is very different than that of our parents. My mom sits back and shrugs, saying, "I never had these problems at your age." We face an ever growing educated population and ever shrinking good paying jobs. Along with that the social pressure to have it all mixes with credit cards and the idea that everyone has them, everyone has this kind of debt. Huge unplayable debts have become completely normal commonality in life. There is an excellent documentary about this called Maxed Out. It details how our debt problem is greatly related to the dealings and business practices of the credit card companies and the Government's support of these practices. A good example is credit card booths at every welcome back to college day. Is this marketing tactic right? Or is it similar to advertising cigarettes to children?
16 tons, and what do you get? Another Day older and deeper in debt.
St. Peter don't you call me 'cuz I can't go... I owe my soul to the master card corp.
I think I'm going to move to Thai land, live with the monks, farm some food, meditate and do yoga for 7 years. Then, when I come back my debt record will be clean. I'll be free!
Then I'll write a book about the culture of Thai people and make millions! Anyone want to join me?
Eh, it's a pipe dream, there are problems everywhere you live. But I have to wonder, are cultures that do not have the concept of credit cards and high paced technological life style less prone to disease caused by stress?
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Agreed.... the culture of debt for college students is unbelievable, and unavoidable for some.
It really needs to be addressed... because these companies are completely out of control. Higher education should be more affordable, and so should textbooks.
How did you get a job working at a hospital? Because I sent my resume and cover letter to my nearest hospital and they rejected me.
I definately agree engkatiemarie on that one! College should be cheaper! They sock you for everything, I had to pay $100 just to go to orientation! They gave us a $6 meal card, free doughnuts and coffee for breakfast, a small drawstring bag, and one of the professors came in and talked to us. Please, you know that wasn't worth anyone's $100.