Written by Devon Mitchell
Last month, Congress passed the $2 trillion stimulus bill, which provides many Americans with payments of up to $1,200 to help aid with negative economic effects due to COVID-19. While the stimulus package will be amazing for many Americans, there are also many people who will be receiving nothing. One large demographic which affects all of us reading the Brackety-Ack is college students.
It is true, most college students will be left out of receiving any money from the government. If someone has claimed you as a dependent on their taxes, then unfortunately you are out of luck. Parents will be receiving $500 for every child age 17 or younger. So that leaves out about 20 million college students who are considered dependent on their parents. Basically, although we are living in our parents’ house and they are providing for us, no one is receiving any aid. It’s frustrating to me that I am not receiving anything even though I pay taxes, I’ve worked three jobs in the past year, and I pay tuition.
Even if I’m not receiving anything, shouldn’t my parents receive something if I am considered dependent on them? It just doesn’t quite make sense that parents and guardians will only be receiving money if their child is under the age of 17. It should not matter the age if they are considered dependent.
Although there is much frustration surrounding the lack of support we will be getting, it is important that we consider how we discuss this matter. As I have been scrolling through twitter, I have seen frustrated individuals refer to the college student demographic as the “poorest demographic.”
That is just simply not true. For many college students, they are not worried about being provided for. There may not be a lot of money in their bank account, however their parents/guardians make sure there is a roof over their head and food on their plate. There are many Americans out there who are facing unemployment and do not know how to pay for rent, groceries, and their other expenses. I think it is important, despite the craziness, we remember how fortunate we really are and be grateful.
The fact that we can afford to attend a four-year institution is enough to prove that we are not the poorest demographic. This is not to say there are not college students out there who truly do need money from the stimulus package. There are — but before we make bold claims, it is important to remember how fortunate we are.
Now that we are facing difficult times, it is more important than ever to remain positive and grateful. There are definitely frustrations, but these frustrations are temporary. Stay healthy Maroons.
