Lauren Pilgrim

“Burning the Candle at Both Ends” – A look into Student Poverty

It’s late, you’re tired. It’s been a long day of uni classes in the morning and waiting on tables at night. All you want to do is eat and crash in bed. The fridge is empty yet again; have you run out of food already? There’s still some leftover bread in the cupboard and a jar of peanut butter… suppose that will have to do then.

This is a similar situation to what many university students have to face. Student poverty is not a new term, any university welfare or loans officer can confirm to the hardship and complicated lives of many students. It’s an age old battle that’s been reoccurring every year with every new wave of students, study time vs. working, the never ending fight to earn money to survive and to find time to do the assignments that keep piling up.

Indeed, the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee’s (AV-CC) 2001 study “Paying their Way” laid out clearly how increased working hours, and the cost of living are undermining some students’ studies. Employment rates for full-time students have increased by 50% since 1984, and students work three times as many hours. 58% of students identified employment as having an adverse effect upon their study.