Cost of Living

 

Although Jada is barely a mile away from home, going off to college has represented a major transition into adulthood. Setting her own schedule, making her own choices, navigating the day-to-day...all of this is different than when you are under your parents' roof.

Sophomore year has been another step towards the grown-up life. Drexel has a great co-operative learning program whereby, in the course of five years, you take on three six-month internships, so in addition to getting your college degree you graduate with a year and a half of real-world work experience. While she is also taking one class, the main thing in her schedule for the first part of this school year is going to work (at Jefferson, downtown). Welcome to the grind, Jerds!

Also, she has gone from living in a dorm to living in an apartment, albeit an on-campus one. The freshman year experience is one of a kind, not in the least because you are going through it with all the other newbies. And usually frosh dorms provide all kinds of formal and informal activities to make things fun and provide necessary supports. Conversely, apartment living is more like life after college, living with roommates but largely each person having their own schedule. 

Importantly, since Jada is at work during the day, she's no longer on dining plan. Which, for as much as students love to complain about cafeteria food, they quickly realize how easy life is when all you have to do is show up at a buffet three times a day.

Groceries have been in the news a lot lately, as our presidential candidates tap into people's pain around the rising cost of milk, bread, and eggs. Jada is feeling a similar kind of pain, having to think about what groceries to get, how to pay for them, and what to do with them when she brings them back to her place.

Amy and I have helped, of course, getting her some things during our own grocery runs, and giving her tips on easy things to make that are healthy. But part of the slog Jada is going through is par for the course. I remember my own baptism into figuring out how to feed myself. I look back fondly on the dumb things I did at the grocery store and in the kitchen. 

Eventually, we all learn. So will Jada. It is happening now. Wish her luck!