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> I work 4 days a week. My girlfriend three. I study six days and two evenings a week. I have trouble affording food.

by clarry 12y ago

skrebbel 12y ago
And you live in Western Europe? And there are many peers like you?
- clarry 12y ago
  Northern Europe. There are others like me, though I don't know how many there are. The problem is that there are some serious holes and twisted disincentives built into the welfare system. Basic income would be godsend. For instance they complain that people spend too much time in their studies, and are trying to incentivize people to graduate faster by granting some benefits related to the student loan if you graduate on a planned timeline. In my case however, I would get more if I had postponed my studies instead of starting studying in UoAS this year. I'd get more still if I dropped out of school entirely and lived on social security, unemployed... I know other people who are in a similar situation. For example, unemployed and unqualified middle-aged men with families and kids to feed. For them, the students' benefits are impossible to live on so they're incentivized against getting an education. They can somehow make it though, through crazy hoops than make no sense for the state nor for themselves.. it makes no sense for anyone. It's not clear what this all will lead to. I'm expected to graduate in about four years. The job prospects in my area have been piss poor (this reflects badly on my CV), and it's not sure yet whether they're getting better or not. So yeah, my lack of money is in part my own choice. I chose to study because I want to graduate sooner rather than later. Either way it sucks. And people around here want to downvote me for not wanting to pay $40 for a game/movie/book/software. Not realizing that it's almost two weeks worth of food for me...
  - skrebbel 12y ago
    Good points. I actually agree with everything you said. I just don't think my grandpa had it better than us.
    - clarry 12y ago
      Maybe. It really is hard to say. But some of the people are in the situation they are in now because some time ago, it was easy to get by. You didn't need qualifications if you were willing to work. That's how we got people who are now in their mid-to-late 40s, with no formal education. And they're suffering for it because today getting a job just isn't the same. And looking at how it goes today, young people are expected to spend a small eternity in educational institutions, and finally they come out with a piece of paper which states that they have the bare minimum of knowledge everyone else in the field already has. So they have to compete against every other fresh graduate, as well as everyone else who's already got a job history & real world experience to boast with. It does make me feel that maybe my grandpa had it better. And no, he wasn't a farmer.

> I work 4 days a week. My girlfriend three. I study six days and two evenings a week. I have trouble affording food.

by clarry 12y ago

> I work 4 days a week. My girlfriend three. I study six days and two evenings a week. I have trouble affording food.

skrebbel 12y ago

And you live in Western Europe? And there are many peers like you?

clarry 12y ago
Northern Europe. There are others like me, though I don't know how many there are. The problem is that there are some serious holes and twisted disincentives built into the welfare system. Basic income would be godsend. For instance they complain that people spend too much time in their studies, and are trying to incentivize people to graduate faster by granting some benefits related to the student loan if you graduate on a planned timeline. In my case however, I would get more if I had postponed my studies instead of starting studying in UoAS this year. I'd get more still if I dropped out of school entirely and lived on social security, unemployed... I know other people who are in a similar situation. For example, unemployed and unqualified middle-aged men with families and kids to feed. For them, the students' benefits are impossible to live on so they're incentivized against getting an education. They can somehow make it though, through crazy hoops than make no sense for the state nor for themselves.. it makes no sense for anyone. It's not clear what this all will lead to. I'm expected to graduate in about four years. The job prospects in my area have been piss poor (this reflects badly on my CV), and it's not sure yet whether they're getting better or not. So yeah, my lack of money is in part my own choice. I chose to study because I want to graduate sooner rather than later. Either way it sucks. And people around here want to downvote me for not wanting to pay $40 for a game/movie/book/software. Not realizing that it's almost two weeks worth of food for me...
- skrebbel 12y ago
  Good points. I actually agree with everything you said. I just don't think my grandpa had it better than us.
  - clarry 12y ago
    Maybe. It really is hard to say. But some of the people are in the situation they are in now because some time ago, it was easy to get by. You didn't need qualifications if you were willing to work. That's how we got people who are now in their mid-to-late 40s, with no formal education. And they're suffering for it because today getting a job just isn't the same. And looking at how it goes today, young people are expected to spend a small eternity in educational institutions, and finally they come out with a piece of paper which states that they have the bare minimum of knowledge everyone else in the field already has. So they have to compete against every other fresh graduate, as well as everyone else who's already got a job history & real world experience to boast with. It does make me feel that maybe my grandpa had it better. And no, he wasn't a farmer.