I played sports since the day I stepped onto the softball field at five years old. I was what you would call a "Tom Boy." I loved getting dirty. I poured my heart and soul into my sports from the day I started.
I recently felt inclined to share how all of my sports careers were destroyed the second I walked through the doors of my high school. I was so excited to be playing at the next level! I was excited to continue to play basketball with our strong group of girls, excited to see what roster I would end up on in softball. Little did I know, I wouldn't find a single coach who liked me.
My freshman year basketball coach was always very short with me and I didn't get as much playing time as I expected. I made the JV team, but what was the point of playing left bench? I hustled in practice, never gave up on anything. Why wasn't I getting playing time? Because I had an "attitude problem." NEWS TO ME!
Fast forward to sophomore year softball season. I made the Varsity team. Great! Or maybe not... I got all of the playing time I wanted to get, turns out that's not what makes you love the game. You see, at my high school, if you weren't a favorite, you were garbage. You'll play, but you're just an extra body that needs to be on the field. You won't build a bond with the coach, you'll feel left out on the team. I was apart of a State Championship team that year. This is the one that hurt the most. Softball was MY game since I was five years old, and it was ripped away from me in high school. I had dreams of going on to play in college, but I was told, "You'll never be better than D3." I decided after my Junior year that I was fed up with it, and I turned in my softball bag after 12 years of playing.
Moving on to junior year. I was back at it again on the basketball court. I always told my mom I hated basketball. Maybe I was doing it for her and not wanting to let her down because she played, or maybe deep down I really did love basketball. I was on the Varsity team and wasn't sure how much playing time I would get. I always had, still do have, a negative attitude, and I knew there were so many other girls on the team that were better than me. It was during this season that made me feel so worthless. There were two times in which my coach said to me, "There you are, I couldn't find you." Well that's interesting, I've been sitting here on the bench the whole game, coach. All you had to do was scan down the bench and I guarantee you would've found me. I am still mad that I never asked her about that comment. I don't quite understand how you could lose someone on the bench.
At last, senior year! The year I thought was going to be the best yet. WRONG! We had a new basketball coach, yet I still was not liked. There seems to be a trend going here. All four years of high school and not a single coach that liked me. I was shooting around before practice one day after a game and my coach comes up to me and goes, "I thought you like defense better than offense, apparently not." I'm still not sure what he meant by this, but I took it as, you let someone score, you're not good at defense OR offense. I was a starter for every game, I worked my ass off to be a starter and I made sure that spot wouldn't be taken away from me. I had one of the best seasons that year. I was excited to see what kind of recognition I got in the newspaper that year. I was hoping for first team all conference or second team all conference. HA! I barely squeaked out an honorable mention. It was then that I realized all the hard work and all the time and money my parents and I had put into me being an athlete was basically a waste.
I cried millions of tears. I made memories that I will cherish forever. I will never forget how these coaches ruined my athletic career forever. Because you see, at my high school, it no longer mattered whether you had talent, what mattered was your last name and what others told your coaches.
1. The Freshmen 15? It's real.
WARNING: The buffet style campus dining spots are a TRAP. If you're eating and out drinking on the weekends, it is EXTREMELY LIKELY that you're going to gain a little bit of weight. Gaining weight isn't really a bad thing, but staying healthy is definitely important. Take a walk or a run to even out that junk food intake, but feel free to sneak that late night five-cheese panini at 1AM.
2. Make friends with some of your floormates.
Your first year of college is arguably the most memorable time of your college life. You live with your floormates for two semesters, and you see them in the hall all the time. Make it a point to say "what's up", it'll definitely make your year more fun.
3. College is hard. Don't sell yourself short.
Higher education. It's not high school, your professors are a little less prominent than your HS teachers. This being said, you are responsible for your own eucation. It's a little hard having all this freedom and responsibility for (probably) the first time in your life, but it's important to realize that it's a little harder because you're sort of on your own.
4. You don't HAVE to have sex to "get it over with".
This is IMPORTANT. Deciding to have sex when you get to college? Cool. Deciding you want to wait? Awesome. Having sex because you just want to get it over with? Hm, think about that. Your decision is your decision, but if you're iffy about entering the "college hook-up culture", PLEASE really think about how important it is for you to have sex.
5. Be careful who you hook up with and who you open up to.
As I said earlier: beware of the infamous "college hook-up culture". IMO, it's a chance for college guys or gals to lead the other on (the majority of the time). It's not possible to control your feelings, but it's possible to cut a hook-up off/talk about how you feel. Better for you in the long run, trust me.
6. Work around scheduling a class before 12PM.
You might have the idea that, "Oh, I got up at 8AM in high school. I can do it again." No. No, you can't. I have very little explanation for this. You'll enjoy the extra sleep. If you don't believe me, schedule a morning class, and see how you feel.
7. Dress how you want to dress.
You wanna dress up? Slap on some make up, put on some heels, and head to your lecture. You were up late last night? Roll out of bed in what you fell asleep in last night. The good thing about college? You realize that no one is really focused on you, so it's a good time to just "do you" and rock it.
8. The drinking every chance you get? Not healthy. Stop that.
9. When you DO go out, be safe.
Check your drink, make sure you're pacing yourself, don't wander home by yourself, etc. The essentials.
10. Spend your money frugally.
Living the ramen/ easy-mac life is a real thing. There's a reason why it's a college student's go-to: it's easy to make, and it's cheap as heck. It's important to practice money saving tips- even though it seems almost impossible.
11. Those events your RA hosts? Go to them. Some of them are awesome, some offer free food.
As a poor college student, the word free resonates in all of our ears. RA events are not only a gateway to free food, but are also a way to meet more people on your floor/ in your building.
12. It's not all about school- enjoy yourself.
College is a new time in your life where you're working towards your future, but it's also a time where you meet people and have experiences like no other. Let yourself breathe sometimes, and just enjoy this experience.
What about combined income from two minimum-wage workers? Wouldn't that put them above the poverty line? In a nuclear family with two working parents and two children, their combined yearly wage would be about $30,160. That's only $7,846 above the poverty line. Now, let's take into account rent, food, gas, utilities, car insurance, health insurance, school supplies, clothes, and tuition. Try and see how $30,160 would cover all those expenses in a year – it doesn't. The minimum wage is not a living wage.
The minimum wage is not a living wage.
StableDiffusion
Here are some myths that I would like to present and debunk:
Raising the minimum wage will kill jobs. This is false. In a March 2011 report, the Center for Economic and Policy Research concluded that raising the minimum wage would not only help workers but actually have the possibility of increasing job openings. Better pay leads people to spend more money, and the cycle repeats.
"Nobody living in one of the most influential nations in the world should be worried about making ends meet."
influential nations
StableDiffusion
On June 2, 2014 , Seattle changed the city's minimum wage to $15 dollars. Following that procedure, unemployment decreased 17.46 percent – falling from a previous 6.3 percent to 5.2 percent.
Raising the minimum wage will hurt small business. Not only has a higher minimum wage worked in cities across the United States, but a 2006 study by the Center for American Progress and Policy Matters compared small business performances and found that the small businesses who paid the higher wages were more profitable.
Mostly teenagers work minimum-wage jobs. Again, this is false. Half of minimum-wage workers are 25 years old or older. Most minimum-wage workers support their family on this income – and 28 percent of these individuals have children.
Raising the minimum wadge
The minimum wage is not sufficient to uphold and support an individual, especially individuals with families. I've often heard: "It isn't fair that someone working in a fast food restaurant will get paid the same as a college professional!" If we raise the minimum wage to, let’s say, $11 an hour, it would still be a lower amount than that of a college professional. Even so, someone not having a college degree doesn't make their worth any less valuable. Nobody deserves to live in poverty. Nobody living in one of the most influential nations in the world should be worried about making ends meet. We are a nation of equality and opportunity – it's time to let some of that opportunity flow.
What is the current minimum wage at the federal level?
Federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour. Many states also have minimum wage laws, and the employee is entitled to the higher of the two minimum wages. (U.S. Dept. of Labor)
What are the benefits of raising the minimum wage?
A higher minimum wage means less workers living below the poverty line, more workers being able to make ends meet and potentially spend beyond that, and workers would be more productive upon the increase.
What are the states that have set a $15/hour minimum wage?
California is at $15.50 per hour, Washington is at $15.74, and Massachusetts is at $15. These are the only states to have a $15 minimum wage as of Jan. 1, 2023. (The Economic Policy Institute Tracker)
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