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Posted By Crystal Donahue on Mar 10, 2009

College life is a lot harder than people make it out to be. Students are dropped off in a random dormitory where their freedom is stolen by curfews, room checks, and all sorts of fines.

Some work two jobs while taking 18 hours of class, which means around midterms and finals, anxiety and stress levels skyrocket. On top of that, many want to work out at the gym, play intramural games, spend time with friends, go to Focus on Wednesdays, go out dancing on Thursdays, serve at Reaching Out on Saturdays, go to church on Sundays, and participate in an endless number of other activities.

Then there are roommate problems and disagreements. Professors don’t understand the problems of sharing a room with someone who refuses to shut the light off before 3 a.m. and blasts her rap music at whatever hour she chooses. Professors also have the habit of assigning projects and essays for the same week.

Illustration by Garrett Pekar

Then there are the stresses of finding a job in a crappy economy, or piling on thousands of dollars in extra debt for loans to go to graduate school.

Of course, there’s finding a spouse. Those who haven’t found their special someones better move quick, because after age 23 it all goes downhill. College students have so much to handle and too many decisions to make.

That’s why in the chaos of juggling work, school and relationships with friends and family, it’s easy to become self-centered. It’s popular to blame financial institutions, corrupt media and broken families for screwing up America, but individuals are also at fault.

Americans have glued their lives together by indulging in affluent lifestyles. Our society has lied to itself for so long that it is corrupted by selfish patterns and desires.

Yes, circumstances are demanding and situations can be tough, but as students at a private institution in a Christian atmosphere with housing of any sort and edible food on the table, we are blessed.

Feeling small and victimized is easy with deadlines and varying conflicts, but it is important to remember when money is short, people are demanding, and life is tough, we’re all in this together. Complaining and sulking only adds to the problem.