Discuss Anything Here The Rent Is Due – It’s not easy being a student. There, I said it! And I know most students like me will wholeheartedly agree with my statement. This statement is a reflection of my life’s student phase. I’m sure each one of us has gone through this at some point in life, and people often say it is where the “real learning” happens.
My experience as a student in the UK was full of ups and downs. I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, and, during this journey, I became richer with life lessons that any adult would be proud of. One of the core lessons I learnt was how crucial it was to track my expenses so that at the end of the month, I’m not asking myself questions like “How do I find out who I owe money to?”
Here’s my account of an experience I had that left a lasting impression on my financial management decisions.
The Rent Is Due – Mastering The Act of Balance
This is what a typical day looked like for me, as a student.
My alarm blares at 6 am sharp, but like any teenager living on their own in a rented apartment in Manchester, I would snooze it multiple times till it was 6.30 am. This was the official start to my day. A quick shower and breakfast later, I would get dressed and ready to walk to campus. I did not have the luxury of a bike or a car, so I considered the 20-minute walk to my school’s campus a means of transport and a quick workout.
The lectures always began early, sometimes as early as half past seven, and continued to early afternoon right before lunchtime. At lunch, the school’s cafeteria was my saviour on days when I would forget to pack lunch and was too ‘exhausted’ from the classes to walk to a nearby food truck.
Like most of my peers and many other students on the campus, I did not have the luxury of heading straight home to study, write assignments, complete coursework and prep for the next class. After school, I would head over to my part-time work assignment at a department store as a sales assistant.
The Rent Is DuePart-Time Job and Academics
Working after school was more of a necessity than a personal liking. It was a choice I had to make early in my two-year graduate program at the University of Manchester when I was falling short of covering all my expenses. Not to forget the skyrocketing costs of living in the UK, I was already struggling to stay afloat. So taking up a part-time job was a logical move that I’m glad I made.
But this employment was not without its own share of challenges. There were times, especially during the holiday season, when I had to stay back late and help my co-workers manage the seasonal rush.
I won’t lie, some days it got very tough balancing my demanding work hours with school. Some days, I really wanted to work overtime and pocket that much-needed extra cash but had to let go as I had less time to prepare for exams. It was my very own Catch-22 situation!
The Rent Is Due – Challenges Keep Pouring In
When I talk about how I managed my financial situation during these two years, I can’t help but recall the time when my apartment’s rent was due and I did not have money to pay it off! Needless to say, it was one of the toughest times I had to face when unexpected school expenses drained my savings.
I don’t know how it happened, but I was staring in disbelief at the number in my bank account. My meticulous game plan to be financially independent was now a royal financial mess! To add to my growing misery, my apartment’s rent was due in a few days.
I was distraught, brimming with tears and on the verge of having a panic attack staring at my bank balance. But I gathered my wits and consoled myself quickly and tried to wrap my head around the situation.
I was desperate to find a solution to this problem and asked my peers for help and advice that would legitimately work to get me out of this mess. They say you should value those who help you out in times of distress. When I look back at that unfateful day, I can’t help but say how grateful I am to my friends for being my sounding board.
The Rent Is Due – Light at the End of the Tunnel
I realised after checking my store card account statement that I had forgotten to pay the previous month’s bill, which was automatically debited from my bank account. I couldn’t believe the blunder I had made!
Borrowing money from my parents was the most logical option to take to rid me of this financial crisis, which I did. But I paid them back through my part-time job savings. During the holidays, I took up a teaching job to make up for the deficit. I knew I had created this mess and I knew I had to get out of it one way or the other. Over time, I managed to get out of the water, but barely! This experience definitely gave me a valuable life lesson.
Cut to the Present
I’m now a working woman, financially independent and earning my paycheck. Looking back, I realise how this experience made me realise the importance of tracking my expenses as well as staying calm and composed even during a financial crisis. Now I don’t need to bank on my parents or borrow from friends to bail me out of a financial situation.
The fine balancing act of studies and employment in my two years of graduation pushed me out of my comfort zone to face challenges head-on. More importantly, it also gave me a hands-on experience of the importance of not just being financially independent but also making sound financial decisions.
