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Earn as you learn? 1 As the cost of attending university has soared over the last two decades a frank and vigorous debate is emerging over who should pay for the cost of higher education. While in some countries students have always been expected to absorb part or even all of their tuition costs through work or borrowing in other countries the tremendous cost of attending university has been provided by the relevant education authority or by parents. I am proud to be in the small minority of students who "earn as they learn" and absorb the cost of their own university education in spite of the many obstacles. 2 As for the remaining majority I ask myself "Is it me or are students these days just lazy?" Collectively they claim that they have no capacity to pay for college. I think it's more a matter of them simply not wanting to pay or contribute. During college I consistently endured comments from peers with scholarships and loans and peers who had new cars and expensive apartments who would ask me eyes bulging "You mean your parents didn't help you at all?" "How did you pay for tuition?" My response was simple: "I worked." They would look at me blankly as though I had told them I'd gone to the moon. 3 As an undergraduate student I worked for two solid years as a day care provider earning minimum wage. Then I paid for the rest of my education by helping deaf children and working as a tutor in a private school. Looking back I'm not sure how I managed to cover all the costs of my education. But I did. And I bought every single textbook and pencil myself too. 4 Sometimes I did feel a little sorry for myself especially when I compared myself to wealthy students. I once asked another student if she worked. "Oh no!" she said startled "I go to school full-time." She was taking only 13 credit hours and yet was "too busy" to work. She went on to explain that her parents paid for everything and provided her with every necessity and many luxuries too! 5 Truthfully I was a little envious of her easy life as I took 18 credit hours so that I could graduate within four years. Besides I was working 25 hours a week so I could pay tuition without future loan debt. And here's something amazing: I pulled straight A's and was at the top of my class! 6 One day I caught a glimpse of that same girl's report card at the end of the term. She pulled C's and a few B's low grades which didn't surprise me. Having to work hard and multitask forces you to prioritize a skill she hadn't learned. 7 I am aware that my work and study choices are not popular and that many influential studies claim to illustrate that working while going to school negatively impacts educational performance. They cite increased dropout rates lower scores and reduced lifetime earnings. Besides these studies also give evidence that many students exhaust much of their earnings not on school but on entertainment and partying while attending school. The studies also show increased abuse of alcohol and drugs which leads me to question these students' resolve and commitment to the serious side of life. 8 For me one of the most authentic benefits of the "earn-as-you-learn" approach is that upon graduation I was free from the substantial stress and tension of debt payments that make so many people worried and uneasy. Relieved of this considerable burden I am convinced that I will be able to make intelligent career choices that will provide me with greater personal satisfaction and ensure better pay over the years to come. 9 The central questions of this debate are: "What is the major purpose of attending university?" and "Who should be responsible for the cost?" For me the answer has always been that my purpose is to get a formal education with an advanced degree and that the responsibility is my own. I understand that some will disagree with my singular approach to educational funding. But consider this the path I have chosen has massive educational financial and psychological benefits! 10 I am particularly proud that in choosing this path of self-support I have relieved my parents of the burden of my university education. Furthermore by taking care of myself without their assistance I have given them the satisfaction of knowing that they successfully completed the task of raising me into adulthood. 11 I will readily concede that it's not always fun. It's not! But with acceptance that you will pay your own way you will grow and mature and learn important skills that will serve you all your life. Want to know a successful path to a happy and sustainable life? Consider joining the ranks of those of us who "earn as they learn"! 勤工助学? 随着近20年上大学费用的急剧攀升，高等教育费用应该由谁支付的问题引发了坦诚而激烈的争论。在有些国家，人们总是希望学生通过打工或贷款来承担部分或全部的学费，而在另一些国家，上大学的大笔费用一直由有关教育部门或者父母提供。我是少数派学生中的一员，通过“勤工助学”、克服种种困难去承担自己的学费，我为此而感到自豪。 至于其他大多数人，我问自己：“是我情况特殊，还是现在的学生就是懒惰呢？”大家都说自己没有支付大学学费的能力。我认为倒不如说是他们不想自己出钱或不愿分担学费。在大学时，我一直忍受着其他同学的评论。他们拿着奖学金和助学贷款，或者开着崭新的汽车、住着昂贵的公寓。他们会瞪大眼睛问我：“你是说你的父母一点资助都不给你吗？”“那你怎么付学费啊？”我的回答很简单：“我打工。”然后他们就会一脸不解地看着我，仿佛我告诉他们我去过月球一样。 读本科时，我做了整整两年的日托保育员，拿的是最低工资。后来，我还照顾过失聪儿童，也当过私人学校的助教，以此支付我其余的学费。回顾过去，我都不清楚我是怎么设法付清了我所有的学费的。但是，我做到了。而且，每一本课本、每一支铅笔也都是我自己花钱买的。 有时候，我也有点儿为自己感到难过，尤其是当我把自己跟家境富裕的同学相比时。有一次，我问另一个同学她是否打工。“哦，我不打工！”她说，很吃惊的样子，“我是全职学生。”她只上13学分的课，但竟然“没有空”去打工。她接着解释道，她的父母负担她的所有费用，为她提供一切日常所需，还有许多奢侈品！ 说真的，我有点儿嫉妒她那轻松的生活。因为为了能在四年内毕业，我得上18个学分的课。另外，我每周打工25个小时，这样我才能付清学费，将来不会有贷款债务。而令人难以相信的是：我门门功课都得A，成绩在班里名列前茅！ 期末的某一天，我瞥见了那位女生的成绩单。她得的大多是C，以及几个B，成绩不佳。对此我并不感到惊讶。要做到努力打工，并且要同时做好几件事，这就迫使你按轻重缓急来安排事情，而这种技能她还没有学会。 我明白，我这种半工半读的做法并不普遍，而且有很多颇有影响的研究声称半工半读会给学习成绩带来负面影响。他们引用的证据包括上升的退学率、下降的成绩以及减少的终身收入。而且，这些研究还提供证据说，在大学期间许多学生并没有把大部分赚来的钱用在学习上，而是用在娱乐和聚会上。这些研究还表明，酗酒和吸毒现象有所增加，这让我质疑这些学生缺乏意志力和责任心，对待生活不够认真。 对我来说，“勤工助学”最切实的好处之一就是，毕业时我没有还债的巨大压力和焦虑感，而这种压力和焦虑感让许多人忧心忡忡、忐忑不安。没有了这个大包袱，我确信我能明智地选择能让我获得更大的个人满足感、并保证今后有更称心收入的职业。 争论的核心问题是：“上大学的主要目的是什么？”以及“谁应来负担上大学的费用？”对我而言，回答始终是：我上大学的目的是接受正规的教育、获得高等学位；一切费用应由我自己来承担。我知道有些人会不赞成我的这种不同寻常的教育筹资途径。但是想想看，我所选择的道路能带来教育上、经济上和心理上的巨大好处！ 让我尤其感到自豪的是，由于选择了自我资助，我解除了父母的负担，使他们不必承担我上大学的费用。而且，我不靠父母的帮助，自己照顾自己，这给了他们满足感，因为他们知道他们已经将我成功地培养成人了。 我乐于承认，勤工助学并非一直都充满乐趣。这并不好玩！但是，你一旦接受了你要靠自己负担学费的做法，你就会成长、成熟，并学会能让你受益终生的重要技能。你想知道一条通向快乐并能持续发展的人生之路吗？那就考虑加入我们“勤工助学”一族吧！ |
