At the suggestion of a co-worker, I finally got a Twitter account to gain insight into a typical day in other students’ lives. No, I have never “tweeted,” and I don’t even know how. Rather, this submission to yet another social media site was strictly for the pursuit of research. To put it plainly: I creeped. And I was thoroughly disgusted with what I found.
I read a tweet last week from a college student that read something to the effect of “Person sitting next to me in class smells like a fryer #doyouwantfrieswiththat?”
First of all, this is not OK. Not only have I reeked of French fries before, but on a good day, I’ve smelled like a chicken nugget. During the summer, I’ve smelled like a steak and mashed potatoes. Catch me on a good day and my apron, adorned with tons of “flair,” just might be clean (although you wouldn’t know it because it’s so dirty, “clean” even smells repulsive). Yes, kids, this is what minimum-wage smells like. It’s not pretty, it’ll never be glamorous, and the only thing you can get out of it is a free meal (if you’re lucky).
This is the route many have to take to pay for school, and if you’re a real human, you won’t have to take my word for it, because you already know what I’m talking about.
If you routinely ask “Would you like fries with that?,” I commend you for taking initiative and responsibility for yourself, making up for what your parents couldn’t and shouldn’t have to pay for. Those student loans won’t pay themselves off, and I’m not sure anyone really wins that Publishers Clearing House “win a million dollars a year for the rest of your life” sweepstakes.
In all seriousness, college life isn’t getting any easier for those of us on our own. Tuition alone is hardly feasible; now add rent and utilities. Whoops, I didn’t budget food into that equation. I hope you don’t get too hungry after you’re allotted your free meal at work.
According to OU’s Costs & Financial Aid website, the estimated yearly cost of tuition for residents is $8,324.50. Room & board and books will set you back another estimated $9,103.
Many students find work-study programs to be feasible solutions to real-world problems — while working at a higher rate of pay, students can apply their paychecks directly to their bursar bill. Many of these work-study programs are within the food industry on campus.
The bursar’s office, “the keeper of the purse,” is definitely the keeper of my purse — of my checkbook, of my savings account and even the keeper of my rainy day fund.
There isn’t much room in the budget for a “going out” fund, and you can forget about a “Tory Burch flats” fund. The only thing you can afford is a “I need a new pair of pants, hey, at least leggings are cheap and considered pants now” fund.
As adults, we have to focus on the bare necessities. This requires a lot of growing up.
Maybe you hadn’t thought about why your server or cashier is working at your restaurant of choice. I’ll give you a hint — it’s not because it’s fun, and he or she probably isn’t doing it for the free food. Your cashier is in the real world. That kid who sits across from you in your 2:30 p.m. lecture is paying their way through college, by any means necessary. That aroma, if you will, is noble. It’s the smell of sacrifice, strength and determination.
Everyone should smell like a fry sometime in their life. No one is above working in the food industry. Humble yourself, kick off your Sperrys (it’s unlikely you’ll be on the boardwalk soon — you’re in Oklahoma, remember?) and get a job.
At least when you’re eventually climbing that career ladder, you’ll feel like you’re getting somewhere. Anything is a step up from where you started.
Kayley Gillespie is a literature and cultural studies junior.
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fascinatingnewthing 3 months, 3 weeks ago
This is a great piece and a valid point. Not everyone is lucky enough to have Mommy and Daddy footing the bill for you to text, tweet, and post on snarky (and hurtful!) comments on Facebook during Intro to Mass Comm. Some of us are working hard both in and out of the classroom. The person sitting next to you may smell like a fryer today, but that may not always be the case. If he or she is willing to put forth the effort required to work through college, they will be the person employers hire instead of you.