Student loan day. The most sacred date in every student’s calendar by a mile. You’ve already spent half of it before it arrives thanks to the somewhat misguided opinion that university students are mature enough to pay bills. Having to pay said bills is a great life lesson, mummy and daddy can’t bail us out forever, but when all’s said and done my loan is spent on two things: Dominos and VKs.
For the first month after the loan drops, my surname magically becomes Rothschild rather than Rees. Everyone within a 20 metre radius gets bought a jagerbomb, I splash out on Tesco’s finest rather than Basics beans, and Deliveroo drivers start to know me on a first name basis. For the latter part of the term, I live much more modestly. Think plain pasta every day for the whole of March and April. The biggest luxury I can then afford is tomato ketchup. Of course I could say that next term I won’t be so extravagant, that I don’t actually need to buy a £70 pair of velvet trousers, but where’s the fun in that? You’re only a student once.
I am luckier than some students in as much as I have a job that pays fortnightly so bankruptcy never lasts long. However, seeing that sweet £–350 when you log onto mobile banking can only be described as a stabbing pain in the eyeball and a wave of regret akin to that of the morning after a rogue Cheesies.
I still average 2-3 nights out a week but no longer pass out with VK in hand
This year, as I’m no longer a hardcore partying fresh, my financial situation has significantly improved. I’ve waved goodbye to half of my overdraft (I still like the safety cushion it gives), paid all my bills on time, and even opened a savings account. I still average 2-3 nights out a week but no longer pass out with VK in hand, surrounded by 50 quids worth of food.
Living outside of the halls bubble has made me feel grown up I guess. I’ve started taking responsibility for my finances and accept that it is actually my fault that I’m stuck eating pasta everyday. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to stop spending money on items that are strictly unnecessary. I’ve got a weak spot for everything Tiger and my bedroom is like an orphanage for Wilko’s oversized stuffed animals. I’m just going to stop spending £80+ every time I go out. Sounds fair to me.
The maintenance loan rush
Student loan day. The most sacred date in every student’s calendar by a mile. You’ve already spent half of it before it arrives thanks to the somewhat misguided opinion that university students are mature enough to pay bills. Having to pay said bills is a great life lesson, mummy and daddy can’t bail us out forever, but when all’s said and done my loan is spent on two things: Dominos and VKs.
For the first month after the loan drops, my surname magically becomes Rothschild rather than Rees. Everyone within a 20 metre radius gets bought a jagerbomb, I splash out on Tesco’s finest rather than Basics beans, and Deliveroo drivers start to know me on a first name basis. For the latter part of the term, I live much more modestly. Think plain pasta every day for the whole of March and April. The biggest luxury I can then afford is tomato ketchup. Of course I could say that next term I won’t be so extravagant, that I don’t actually need to buy a £70 pair of velvet trousers, but where’s the fun in that? You’re only a student once.
I am luckier than some students in as much as I have a job that pays fortnightly so bankruptcy never lasts long. However, seeing that sweet £–350 when you log onto mobile banking can only be described as a stabbing pain in the eyeball and a wave of regret akin to that of the morning after a rogue Cheesies.
This year, as I’m no longer a hardcore partying fresh, my financial situation has significantly improved. I’ve waved goodbye to half of my overdraft (I still like the safety cushion it gives), paid all my bills on time, and even opened a savings account. I still average 2-3 nights out a week but no longer pass out with VK in hand, surrounded by 50 quids worth of food.
Living outside of the halls bubble has made me feel grown up I guess. I’ve started taking responsibility for my finances and accept that it is actually my fault that I’m stuck eating pasta everyday. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to stop spending money on items that are strictly unnecessary. I’ve got a weak spot for everything Tiger and my bedroom is like an orphanage for Wilko’s oversized stuffed animals. I’m just going to stop spending £80+ every time I go out. Sounds fair to me.
Alicia Rees
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