Universities in the United States

This post comes a bit later in the day than usual, but I have been studying all day. 
Which conveniently sort of on topic for this week.
I love to learn, so in some ways I love school. But there's this culture in the educational world now that is nothing to do with just learning. It's about memorizing and GPAs and competition. 
And for Universities, it's about money. 
I chose to write about this topic this week, even though it is a bit different from my usual writings because it has been gnawing at my brain all week.
I came to a university to learn and to get a degree. I came to make myself a better version of myself. But the institution I am attending, like so many campuses across the country, cares so much more about the profit the school can make. They don't look at students, they look at dollar signs. 
It has gotten to a point that only the incredibly rich could realistically afford going to a university with no financial help from the government or a part time job. 
I do not know a single person who has a family that can just pay for their tuition, room and board, books and all the extra expenses. Everyone needs help from financial aid or a scholarship. Myself included. Honestly, I need more than what I get and I can't even be granted that. I am on a full tuition scholarship and have received some loans, have money saved up from working all summer but still have to budget my money tightly sometimes. 
These schools offer new shiny buildings and amenities, ignoring that most students would so much rather just have a school they could afford without having to burden their parents so much. 
The owners of the university have a huge monopoly on so many aspects of the college life. You want to live on campus for safety and convenience? Ok, but it will cost triple what the room is worth. You want a meal plan because your room doesn't have a kitchen? Ok, but it's more money than you would every actually spend on food. You need to buy a required textbook and online access code? Ok, but it costs $150 and you need one for every class. 
When did school stop being about learning? 
I will never forget a story one of my high school history teachers told us. He said when he graduated high school and was getting ready to go off to college, all he had to do was ask his dad for a check. He enrolled, bought a few books and was all set. 
But now, the fees and charges and books I have to buy at the beginning of the year is some of the biggest stresses. And then after that, I still have to pay an obscenely over priced rent every month, but it's not like I can go anywhere else.

A quick google search shows, allowing for inflation still, there has a 163% increase in the cost of a four year university. 
Why?
That's not a question I can really answer. Even though I am one of the many students suffering the consequences. 

Almost every student who graduates with a four year degree will have some sort of debt from school. Why are we being punished with debt when we are only trying to get an education and help better society? 

The younger generations now are the future. But we are being beat down before we ever get to stand. 

So I will continue to go to school. I will do my best, and most importantly I will continue to learn what I love. But this will always be in the back of my mind. There is a problem in this system. And I hope the generation I am will be the one able to fix, so when our children want to go to college, they can. 

An interesting read, if you want to check it out: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/29/how-much-college-tuition-has-increased-from-1988-to-2018.html


Word of the week: future


xoxo 
Spiryt 



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