Ahh, money. For a while I was struggling to come up with an idea for this, but then I was given the topic of student finances. And boy do I have a lot to say about that. While I am one of the lucky ones who doesn’t actually have to worry about it too much, it’s still a pebble in the shoe of nearly everyone I know.
Before I begin, I will admit that New Zealand does do a better job than other countries, *cough* USA *cough*. Domestic students can apply for Fees Free for the first year, and we have StudyLink… such a huge help right? (Please take note of the sarcasm). However, that does not mean that student debt is piling up for people. It’s kind of crazy, don’t you think? In this day and age, tertiary education is almost a necessity, and yet for the rest of your life you’ll probably be carrying the weight of your fees.
Now, it’s not like any of this can be magically whisked away. So instead, I’m going to lay down some fact and see what the fuck is actually up within student finances in New Zealand. According to a very nice article I found, the average loan is $23,307 New Zealand dollars. The article also states that “A University of Auckland study published in 2019 says it takes 8.3 years for someone with an undergraduate degree to pay off their loan, and 7.4 years for postgrads.” That doesn’t seem too bad, right? Maybe it does. But the honest truth is that many students accumulate so much more than that, plus it doesn’t help that wages can be such a fickle thing, and that many people don’t just walk into jobs after university; gotta start out small, aye?
So where does the problem actually come from? It will never be the student’s fault, obviously – that’s ridiculous to even think about. Is it the university’s fault? Hmm, perhaps. Is it StudyLink? Well I know many people have their words about that. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you the reason. I could go on and on blasting everything bad about capitalism as if telling it to go away will actually make it go away. But that’s child’s play, so let’s get down to business (to defeat the Huns).
The reality is, studying is unaffordable for so many people. Despite all the “help”, many people in New Zealand decide against university. Why? Well StudyLink is a pain in the arse, that’s for sure. It also doesn’t help that our futures are uncertain when it comes to finding work in our field of study post-graduate. And, knowing that you have to most likely work your way up from the bottom of the food chain does suck. Like imagine finally getting that one position, getting a comfortable salary, oooh maybe thinking about starting a family (if people still want that because ew, kids), and then BOOM! You’re hit with the realisation that you still have half of your student debt to pay off. Honestly what the fuck is up with this system?
Do you ever get so frustrated when trying to make your point that it physically pains you and then your head starts to spin because now you’re irritated too much, and somehow you start making no sense? That’s how I feel writing this, because I can’t comprehend why the world is so shit. I am genuinely so lost in the whole student finance ordeal. And I get that university can’t be free, that’s just cracked because uhh taxes? But it’s like, why does it cost an arm and a leg just to study?
I love how this piece is supposed to be about Nexus fixing the recession and yet here I am having a sook for all the people that are absolutely crushed by the weight of their student fees. I’m sorry, let me try to be serious again.
Okay, so I’ve talked about university fees a bit, so let me talk about our trusted friend StudyLink. I haven’t had too many problems with it, and I’m fortunate enough to qualify for the Student Allowance. However, I honestly don’t think I should. The system is fucked; there are people who need the help a whole lot more than I do, and while I’m eternally grateful for qualifying for it, the amount of people that are getting cheated on by StudyLink is incongruos. Did I use that word right? Probably not. What I’m trying to say is that many students are in situations where they need the help of StudyLink’s allowance, and StudyLink is meant to provide for students in need, but they don’t.
Oh, and don’t even get me started on what makes a person qualify for it. Or actually, do. All this talk of parents’ income is utterly ridiculous! When we graduate high school, most of us are eighteen or turning eighteen in a few months, yeah? We’re legally considered adults. Many parents see that as a one way ticket to saying “I’ve done my part, now it’s your turn to survive in the real world”, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing on their part. However, StudyLink is still asking for parents’ income like it affects students’ lives. News flash: many students don’t have the financial support of their parents (I’m not shit-talking anyone’s parents before you think I am, I’m just saying it how it is). Because of this, students turn to loans which accumulate so much more debt because, not only are they using it for university fees, they’re also using it for living costs etc.
I don’t know how to fix this; I’m one person who’s studying english and political science for crying out loud. But I do recognise the problem. And I know most, if not all, of you do too. So, what do we do about it?
