There are two types of people in college: those who take it upon themselves, whether by choice or necessity, to 100% support themselves, and those who have the ability to accept help from parents or other family members and are relieved of that slight pressure.

I am the latter. I'm also somewhat of an exception, because I receive military aid that covers a good portion of my necessities like my rent.

When I was a freshman in college though, money was tight (this was before military aid). It's no surprise that the cost of attending a 4-year university these days is astronomical, and more often than not, students are having to foot the bill just to stay afloat.

Two months into being at Arizona State, I realized I was long overdue to find a job. The savings I had accumulated throughout the summer before I headed off to college had been all but obliterated, and my parents simply could not afford to keep me in college and support my lifestyle.

So, almost all the way through my freshmen year and the following summer, I worked at a Starbucks near where I lived. I walked there and back from my shifts, even in the blistering heat, and I sometimes worked into the wee hours of the weekend winter mornings, because my store extended holiday hours to as late as 1 AM on weekends. This job was my primary source of income, and I didn't make much money from it, seeing as I was a full-time student and could personally only handle working 20 or less hours a week.

And don't get me wrong, I watched as my friends all received in allowances from their parents each month so they could focus completely on school and not worry about their financial burdens, and I envied them. I consoled myself by reminding myself that I was learning a valuable lesson of working for what I wanted, that I could never imagine being reliant on my parents in that way.

But that changed this year. With the little extra help we received from the GI-Bill, my parents no longer had to worry about keeping a roof over my head, and they are able to share a little more of what they have when I need it.

At the beginning of this school year, I took on quite a few "jobs". I was forced to quit my job at Starbucks because I couldn't handle it on top of my role as an opinion columnist for ASU's news outlet, a content contributor for The Odyssey, and an ambassador for my journalism school (oh, and don't forget my actual classes). It got to be too much, and I realized I would need to sacrifice spending money so I could pad my resume.

It was unfortunate because I loved my job, but I'm glad that that stress has been relieved from me. I'm more glad though, because it's taught me that it's okay to take help from people.

I look back on last year and realize I had adopted a "holier than thou" type of attitude toward my friends that didn't have to work. In my head, I would say to myself, "They'll never understand what it's like to have to work for something. You're better off because of it." And in some ways, I was. But that type of thinking is too negative.

If I had the ability to accept money from my parents last year, I would have! Who wouldn't? It's not fair to look down on people who don't have to work because if you were in the same position, it would be hard to say no when you know the relief it would bring you.

So, the lesson here is never to judge another when you've never been in their position. It's okay, as a student, to take money from your parents if they have money to give. It doesn't make you unmotivated, it doesn't make you lazy, and it certainly doesn't make you spoiled. As someone who can speak from both sides, it's important to stay motivated and to be willing to work at the drop of a hat if necessary, but if family can provide you a break from the financial stresses of everyday life, there's nothing wrong with accepting a little help.