Youth Debt Digital Story

Kelly 12-Jun-2008

Hi, very interesting... I just cant agree with you though. I wouldn't say that being a student is financially rewarding nor that students aren't entitled to a bit more money. But from my experience being a student myself for 6 long years, students are incredibly wasteful with money.
They spend a fortune on nightlife (especially booze), buy lunch and several coffees everyday, shop during the working day for clothes etc that they dont need, buy food irresponsibly without taking advantage of specials and healthy options instead getting a lot of take out and processed, prepared food, they also try to live the high life they think they see others having. Quite a lot of students drive their car when they dont need to either. Like to uni in the city or along regularly serviced bus routes! Apart from the environmental impact, public transport doesn't get in the way of uni classes, just eats into the sleep in time. Not everyone has to move out of home either, sometimes we need to exercise strategy and patience. Also, centrelink gives those of us out of home a fair bit more than when you live at home.
The figures used in this clip seem to be quite inflated and dont mention the other side of the problem.
Don't get me wrong, I've been there, done that. But I've learnt from it and am now able to save. Students waste a fortune, they don't need to, but they do. Then they winge about not having enough money and ask for more handouts.

Two more things:
Youth debt is a big problem, but I think giving them more money wont solve the problem. The problem is not the lack of funds, its the fact that they have no skills or will power to avoid the lure of consumer culture that is destroying social and environmental capital in our society. Show them how to use what they have more effectively and maybe help to create a social acceptance or even encouragement of such a lifestyle.
Also, the government does charge students a significant contribution to their studies, but we all have access to attending uni because you dont have to pay it up front, they will keep it for you until you are able to. And seriously, if students were that worried about the cost of studying at uni, there would be a lot less of them wasting the day in the bar, caf or at the shopping mall. They would be putting far more energy and time into understanding everything there is to know about the topics they are doing - without needing the material to be spoon fed - so they would be a responsible and useful contributor to their field and so they got their money's worth. A bit cynical I know.
But like I said, been there, done that, glad I've learnt and want to help others learn too. Look past the school paradigm, uni is in the real world. If you care about the social and environmental problems we face in the future, put the effort in to learn what's in front of you (and what's not), reflect and take action upon how you live your own life first.