Treating yourself with a gift is a valid form of self-care
Many students know the feeling: walking around Trader Joe’s and looking for a quick dinner, famished because the need to get a few extra minutes of sleep before a 9 a.m. class outweighs a proper breakfast that morning. There are plenty of options less than $3-4, but they all lack nutritional value, seasoning and excitement. At this point, this trip can follow one of two paths: settling for a disappointing snack or spending $6 on something actually enjoyable, like tzatziki or wine cheese. But inevitably, students beat themselves up for splurging. And for those who didn’t know, a mere $2 difference in food pricing is enough to make some students — even at USC — stressed.
A big part of being a university student is learning how to budget and manage your money — whether it be an allowance from your parents or a direct deposit from your work-study job. But with tuition, loans, housing, food, textbooks and a bunch of miscellaneous costs that weren’t accounted for, the process of budgeting and cutting down on spending becomes emotionally laborious and draining.
As students come to terms with this harsh reality, even if it is something they dealt with prior to attending a higher education institution, they may often begin policing themselves in stringent and unhealthy ways. Buying basic snacks or a pack of highlighters can feel like a massive splurge, provoking feelings of self-hatred and shame in students when they do spend a few dollars on something later deemed unnecessary.
It doesn’t help that open discussions about money are generally taboo in courteous settings. Especially at private institutions, there is an inherent stigma placed around poverty and talking about financial issues. Additionally, there are very few outlets or spaces to vent about these overwhelming stressors.
At a campus where you constantly see people walking around in $500 Golden Goose sneakers and wearing designer bags, how is one supposed to feel comfortable with talking about how you only have a few dollars left in your bank account and how payday gives you the same amount of serotonin as Christmas used to?
While there are mental health services available at USC, those who choose to opt out of the student health insurance plan due to its price, or because they have their own health care plan (although it’s most likely out of reach from campus) aren’t afforded the same counseling opportunities. This means that lower-income students, who often experience high burdens and need a safe space, void of judgment, to talk about their financial stresses are left with nowhere to turn.
The often addictive feeling of happiness when saving money and the opposing shame when making a seemingly “unnecessary” purchase is a dangerous pattern that students can fall into while attending university that they may carry into adulthood. It is in this transitional time of a young person’s life that, even if the odds are stacked against them, they can learn to treat themselves with kindness and dignity.
Although this hot take isn’t coming from an expert by any means, it’s important to note that occasionally spending money on yourself beyond necessities — even if that means planning it out or physically setting a few dollars to the side — can be incredibly relieving. According to Inc. an American business magazine, while budgeting and the reduction of impulse buying can be healthy, there is some danger in being unnecessarily frugal because of the anxiety and restriction it causes in individuals.
Although most people beneath a certain tax bracket aren’t taught this, a form of self-care can sometimes be to unapologetically get yourself a gift. Whether it’s your favorite dessert, a new book or a ticket to see a movie in theaters (and yes, maybe even with an order of popcorn), understanding that budgeting doesn’t need to equate to financially abusing yourself is an integral part of establishing self-worth and happiness.