Inflation creates damper for college students

In recent months Americans have had to endure inflation of prices in the cost of food, a slumping housing market, and a severe price gauging from the gas pump. Everyone has been affected, but news articles and broadcasts would later reveal, students have been greatly affected by this increase, especially those living off campus and commuting back and forth to their classes. This doesn’t just include students that desire to live off campus but even the middle aged students who either returned to school after the start of their families or those wishing to complete their degree after financial hardship or earning valuable work experience. In any case, these gas prices have taken extra money from the pockets of students and put it into the gas tank instead.

Some articles, on the Daily Camera.com, WUNC.org, and ABClocal.com, all show that there has not been an extreme decline in the use of vehicles because of a lack of alternative transportation. After all, people still need to work, attend school, and provide for their families, and some feel public transportation is not an option when it comes to reliability and convenience. The Student Life, Southern California’s oldest school publication has stated that students travel on average 40 miles per week and that gas prices could peak five dollars a gallon and stay for a total of five years before the amount of consumption would budge. Brandon Lawrence, senior in sport management said, “I am glad we have alternative sources of transportation through our apartment complex, referring to Centennial Ridge Apartments. It makes things cheaper and easier.” Many college based apartment complexes have started to offer bus and travel expenditures as extra amenities for their tenants. They normally operate on the hour, which may be an issue for some, but most find ways to fill their wait time with other activities because of the ease of not driving to and from campus like Tierra Hobley, a senior in political science, who said “I definitely have to stay on campus much more now that gas prices have jumped, instead of going home on my breaks, I just tough it out on campus.”

The rise in the prices of gas have forced students to budget more, cut out leisure activities and even cancel plans for fall and winter breaks. Jerrod Phillips, junior in business management with a marketing concentration stated, “Since I have had little to no time to work this semester, due to my school schedule, I don’t have the extra money to go out, attend concerts or just eat out sometimes. NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development.

I really have to think twice before spending my money.” I speaking with peers and interviewing students for this article I have discovered that many of the hobbies, or activities that would help relax students and take their minds off of school for once has actually not been an option in some instances. Students are loosing their ability to retreat on the weekends and holidays as much without thinking about the increase cost in gas and food and more so thinking about picking up a part time job.

The New York University (NYU) Wasserman Center for Career Development conducts a study each year to analyze data formed about students and their likelihood to hold part time jobs or internships during the regular school year. It reported that during the 2007-2008 school year there was almost a 89 percent increase from the prior year. Either the students are pursuing these jobs and internships in their field in hopes to be offered a full time position or as a mere means to supplement income to accommodate the inflation in prices without suffering financially.