Money is what drives higher education. This drive could be paying for the tuition or perhaps the dream of the paycheck to come after achieving the completion of a degree. With college life, comes many different forms of stress ranging from exams to relationships. However, one stress factor many college students can agree on is the stress of money.
Nearly every college student has to pay for something or another. Groceries, rent, tuition, and in some cases all three. You name it; the student is most likely paying for it. One student, Coree Nitcher a health science major, works nearly 40 hours a week at the Virgil Hensen Activities Center on campus.
“I don’t have enough money for what I actually need,” remarked Nitcher.
Is this the case with most students? Working hard every week, just to give their entire paycheck to bills and necessities? Blake Boone, a communications major who will be graduating at the end of this spring semester says he doesn’t constantly worry about money.
“My only fear when it comes to finances is more in regards to when it comes for me to take that next step. I graduate soon, and changes will definitely be taking place in my life,” says Boone.
To fix this worry about money, perhaps WT should offer, or even require a Personal Finance course. Even though finances are gone over in the required IDS classes, Taylor Meyer, a graphic design major who graduated from WT last spring, says no one could ever get enough financial advice.
“I think students would be crazy to pass up financial advice,” says Meyer.
“There’s always something new to learn that will help you grow. I took a financial class last year and I would definitely take another one.”
This isn’t the case with most students. Nitcher believed that taking a financial class wouldn’t help her much because she already knows how to handle her money, there is just a lack of it. Boone feels the same about the idea of a Personal Finance course being required to graduate, especially with his expected graduation coming up in May.
“Perhaps it may be beneficial for others, but I don’t feel that it would be for me,” says Boone.
Either way, finances will always be a topic of discussion. Whether a student is eager to learn more about them, or feels like they are already well rounded in the subject. Meyer feels that she was in fact prepared for the real world of careers and bills. However, she cannot deny how much money still has a hold on a majority of her time.
“It’s human nature to constantly think or worry about money. Whether you’re living paycheck to paycheck and barely scraping by, or have an abundance, money is on everyone’s mind.”
