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Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 41 No. 8. April 17 1978

Dunedin Student

Dunedin Student

In 1975 I left varsity owning to severe psychological stress late in the year. On leaving, I was asked to refund my entire bursary for that year to ensure that I would get one when I re-enrolled. I could only repay a small amount of this as I had other outstanding debts, no money and no job.

I re-enroled in 1977 to do a full-time course and w was ineligible for any bursary assistance at all. As a result I had to borrow substantial sums of money from my parents to pay fees, buy books and stationary etc. All those judge sums one has to fork out at the beginnig of the year. I had to live off borrowed money until I could find a part-time job (difficult in this day and age, especially when you're a woman) waitressing for 20-plus hours a week, in poor conditions at below-award wages.

I was literally on the breadline—such things as meat and toilet paper were unheard-of luxuries. Pubs, movies, concerts—any such form of social life was above my means.

Working as well as a full-time course was a strain to say the least—at times I wanted to throw the whole lot in. I had no time for non-academic activity on campus which alienated me from people I had previously known through clubs and sports—varsity was for study and lectures—no joy at all to be there. As a direct consequence of the strain, which was particularly great near the end of the year, I failed one of my units. I'm positive it wouldn't have happened if my situation had been different.

This year I have a bursary (abated—$15 per week) and feel like I'm living in the lap of luxury. This is something of a fool's paradise however. Owing to difficulties in getting a job last summer I was unable to save very much money. To return this year, I was forced forced to borrow a further $500 from my mother and I have another part-time job, which is necessary to make ends meet. I now owe my parents $1500 which I can't see being paid back for some years.

This is something which I feel very bad about. I loathed asking them for money in the first place, feeling that as a twenty year old adult I should be financially independent. However the present bursary structure doesn't allow me or anyone else to relieve parents of the burden of giving financial support.