Being broke can be so frustrating, uncomfortable and stressful.
It is especially so when you are a student in the university and you find yourself in a class of well-to-do students.
Students are unique individuals.
Sir Ken Robinson, a leading education scholar, is very critical of the lack of this awareness.
He stated that schools that do well “employ teachers that treat students as individuals that need nurturing, not widgets that get blindly assembled’.
It is expected that tertiary level educators will be aware of these sensitivities.
When you want to participate in school activities – even when advertised as free – it is difficult if you don’t have money.
If your colleague students decide to organize an event that requires contributions or fundraising from students, you will certainly be left out because you do not have the “Doh”, our Ghanaian term for Dollar or cash.
When lecturers in the universities do not give notes, but choose to sell their so-called “handouts” (pamphlets) or their own textbooks to students, it makes life harder.
Ditto for when each time they give an assignment and they expect it to be typed and printed out.
All these examples cost money, I mean cash you have to give out instantly; this is Ghana.
So imagine what will happen to you academically if you have no money to purchase these books or even print out your assignments for submission?
Many education experts agree that the experiences of students improve only if lecturers and authorities take a personalized approach.
A university is one of the most interesting but difficult environments one can be in
There are a large number of students with different characters and attitudes from different backgrounds.
Competition persists in different areas of student life- especially fashion trends.
Fashion among students puts undue pressure on students who do not have money but want to look good.
They are therefore sometimes compelled to engage themselves in negative acts in order to make money. For example, some end up becoming prostitutes and internet scammers just to make money in order to afford things on the same level as their colleagues.
Even academic competition has its downfalls if it leads to high stress and anxiety, especially in younger students who aren’t equipped enough to handle the pressure.
Students must learn to live within their budget.
Also, students must try not to give in to peer pressure and should always stay within their means.
Fellow students, no matter what you may be going through on campus, always remember this saying “no condition is permanent “. Your situation will not remain like that forever – it will surely change someday.
God’s time is certainly the best.
Author: Matilda Teni Ayine/School of Communication Studies, WIUC-GHANA
