Currently I am a finishing up a two-year degree at my local Community College. After starting slow in my education process, I have been a full-time student the last 3 semesters.While I have been in school, I have also been working. Obviously one require money to support any kind of life in this world, to buy food, to live in a house, to live in an area with fresh, clean drinking water, to have clothes to buy, to have transportation - everything we currently use as a means to Life and Living costs money.
This includes education. My education is not free. It's quite expensive actually. And with finishing a two-year degree this spring, I have made the decision to stop for the moment, because financially, I cannot practically afford to continue with my education.
Obviously I could continue to take out student loans, which I have been doing to support myself to get my education. Yet at the rate of which I've accumulated and the cost of living where it's at, I see it would be more beneficial for me to stop the education process for the moment and get a job in the field in which my degree and the certificates I am completing, are in, which is accounting. I realize that if I am to continue to get my undergraduate degree, I will more likely get a better paying job in this field.
However - for a single person, independently supporting themselves financially, attempting to go to school as well, is a very difficult thing. To work and to Educate oneself in our current system is unreasonably expensive. Yes we can put ourselves into debt yet is this something that is best for ourselves?
I am 28 years old and in my early twenties, was ignorant to the debt system of our world and the consequences of taking out loans and charging credit cards. I am still paying back the debt I accumulated from the beginning of my twenties. With this and now the accumulated student debt, I am not eager to continue to go into debt trying to get an education. From my perspective, it would be best for me to enter my field with the certificates I have and work my way up then to continue putting myself into debt while I continue to get a higher degree.
Now I am not saying I do not want to finish my education - I very much would like to complete at least a bachelor's in my field of choice. Yet for the time being, it's best I do not continue to dig a deeper hole that accumulated debt is and to instead work with the debt I've already established, by getting a stable job that provides a stable income and work towards paying down my debts.
This is a classic scenario for many my age. If you do not come from money, if your parents are not able to help out financially, if you are unable to go through your classes at a full-time rate, the education process can be slow and costly. Almost impossible for one who is faced with the reality of our current economic system, alone, and realizes survival is the first priority. So when many work for a minimum wage or around that or have to have second jobs - the option to educate yourself to be able to get a better job that is more financially secure, the idea of being able to educate yourself seems hopeless.
I mean when survival is not guaranteed and debt is a certainty in life - what are we signing up for when we go into school? Are we ever guaranteed a job when we graduate to be able to start even paying back what we owe for the years we've been educating ourselves?
This is one reason why I support a Living Income Guarantee and see how this would change my Life as a current College Student.
With a Living Income Guarantee - one is giving the financial support to ensure all the survival necessities are in place. Money to have a home, to have food, to have clean water and to have proper health care and the ability to be educated.
I mean just from the one point of having a Living Income Guarantee while in school would take the pressure of the time requirement that is necessary for one to study and do well in school while also working to survive - this one point would remove the need to work so one can focus on doing the best in their studies to ensure they get the most out of their education. Yet with the Living Income Guarantee - one is able to educate themselves simply because this is a fundamental human right. ALL should be able to educate themselves, freely, as we all know that a healthy society consists of healthy individuals, and being educated allows for one to think critically, become more rational in their life decisions and thus more inclined to make choices that not only serve them but others as well.
I see how the last few years in my education process would be different if I was supported unconditionally with a Living Income. Yet that is not yet our reality. We will have to make the changes, see what we are supporting in this world, realize the common sense the Living Income represents and how not only will it serve people to educate themselves, but to also be able to Live. No more homelessness, no more poverty, no more ignorance in our world - we will make choices that are best for everyone involved, which includes ourselves and the first place we can start is to Stand in support of a Living Income Guarantee.
No one should fear furthering their education because of the lack of funding. Money should not be an obstacle for someone finding something they truly enjoy and wants to get further education and training in. We should be free to learn and expand and express and create while we are here on Earth - not in fear of survival and fear of debt and fear of working our whole lives without the ability to tap into our passions that would also support the betterment of All. When one is giving the opportunity to 'go for it' in terms of making themselves a more well-rounded, satisfied human being, when one is supported to be actually happy and stress-free, then we have individuals within a society that no more exist in conflict or friction in their life - no more aggression towards others without understanding the real reason. A living income is what we need in this world - a support foundation that allows all the opportunity with the ability to better themselves, and most simplistically, to live.
Investigate Equal Life Foundation and the Living Income Guarantee - it's time we take responsibility for what we have as our current economic system that does not make any sense when it comes to actually Living on Earth - it's time we redefine the rules of our Existence and say ALL have the right to Live in Dignity and to pursue their passion and enjoyment yet first we must ensure all are able to survive. We must do that equally for all. Those that currently cannot, because of our Money System - then we Change it. We give to others what we would like to receive and we do not accept anything less of ourselves.
Be a part of the solution. Investigate - Educate - Take a Stand. We have this one life, is the one purpose to make money? Or to discover who we are, the skills we have, how to interact and relate with each other - to better ourselves and thus the betterment of All?
I am a Student and I support a Living Income Guarantee.
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